- Nprn: 14939
- Summary: By the end of the 1870s, a number of the mother chapels of the Welsh nonconformist denominations were not only reaching full capacity but also the early-nineteenth century designs and layouts were dated. The time was ripe for them to update and also to assert newfound confidence by making their mark on the townscape. By about 1870, the Penmaesglas Welsh Independent chapel of 1821, up in the old town, was becoming rather cramped.
In 1875, a block of houses due for demolition was purchased for the site of a new chapel, Seion. Richard Owens of Liverpool was appointed architect and T Jones of Aberystwyth, builder. The chapel was opened on 1 May 1876. It is built on a tighly enclosed urban site, and is in the Italianate Classical style, with two storeys plus a basement. The gable end facade is of snecked rubble masonry with painted freestone dressings; the central bay is articulated by paired giant pilasters topped by a crowning triangular pediment and has paired central entrances. Interestingly the double pilasters on the gable façade are not vertical but rake towards the top, presumably acting as buttresses to counteract the thrust of the arcade.
The Cambrian News described the interior as the most handsome in the town. The arcaded upper storey, supported on Corinthian columns and the gallery carried on plain Ionic columns give the chapel an impressive high and airy feel. The interior decoration belies the fact that the columns and ceiling ribs form in effect, a cast-iron cage. - Description: It is likely that Sion/ Vulcan Street chapel is the same as Penmaes-glas [on Penmaes-glas common building was permiited from 1800]: "Shadrach set about the erection of a new chapel and on 21st August 1821 the foundations of the new building were laid in Penmaes-glas. The result was that handsome little chapel, also named Sion, which still stands in Vulcan Street and has been converted for the use of the Aberystwyth branch of the Red Cross Society, and the St John Ambulance Brigade" (W. J. Lewis, Born on a perilous rock: Aberystwyth past and present (Aberystwyth: Cambrian News (Aberystwyth) Ltd, 1980, p. 64).
- Built: 1823 Source:1851 Census
- Built: 1821 Source:Evan James
- Built: 1816 Source:Horsfall-Turner
- Cause: 1810 Source:Evan James
- Cause: 1810 Source:Horsfall-Turner
- Red Cross Hall: 1880A Source:RCAHMW - site visit
- Plymouth Brethren Meet: 1980A Source:Ceredigion Fam Hist
- Run By Merched Y Wawr: 2000 Source:Ceredigion Fam Hist
- Rebuilt: 1878 Source:Horsfall-Turner
- Rebuilt: 1823 Source:Horsfall-Turner
- Rebuilt: 1878 Source:JO index
- Rebuilt: 1878 Source:SRH
- Date Of Chapel: 1878 Source:
- Builder: 1821 Shadrach,
- Builder: 1878 Thomas Jones, Dole
- Architect: 1878 Richard Owens, Liverpool
- £ 1050: 1905 (RCCEORBWM)
- £ 4474: 1903 (Horsfall-Turner)
- 440: 1905 (RCCEORBWM)
- 750: 1903 (Horsfall-Turner)
- 150: 1851 ()
- 320: 1851 ()
- Converted: 25/08/1996 Red Cross Centre (Site visit)
- Materials
- Rendered
- Monument Type: CHAPEL
- Form: Building
- Style: Sub Classical
- Plan: Long-wall entry
- Window Glazing: Large Pane
- Windows: Flat-Headed
Key Details of this Chapel
Key Dates of this Chapel
Key People in this Chapel History
Costs during this Chapels History
Capacities during this Chapels History
Changes of Status its History
Key Characteristics of this Chapel
Images from Coflein
Map
- Grid Reference: SN58128152
- Address: VULCAN STREET, ABERYSTWYTHVULCAN STREET, ABERYSTWYTH
2 thoughts on “SION WELSH INDEPENDENT CHAPEL (PENMAES-GLAS), VULCAN STREET, ABERYSTWYTH (SION; PENMAES-GLAS, MERCHED Y WAWR)”
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Hello
My great great grandparents were married in Kinnerton Chapel in Old Radnor on 21st May1850. I have been searching for information on the Chapel, so was pleased to find this website. I have now located it on Google Street View – looks like someone is ‘doing it up’ to live in: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.2612635,-3.1095337,3a,90y,232.95h,84.26t/data=!3m9!1e1!3m7!1s-8DWPORkq2RFVNXBLde_-g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!9m2!1b1!2i53?hl=en-GB
The marriage record of my ancestors Abraham Bounds and Elizabeth Williams is attached. I hope it is of interest.
All the best
Saira
Dear Sara
Thank you for the information. I am glad to hear that it was some help to you.
Good luck on your continued search
Christine