- Nprn: 6232
- Cadw Ref: (WO)4/86
- Cadw Record No: 9488
- Summary: Heol Awst Welsh Independent Chapel was built in 1726, and underwent a number of phases of rebuilding and expansion. It was first rebuilt in 1802, and again in 1826-7, when it was thought to be the largest chapel in Wales. In 1846 it was further enlarged in the Classical style with a square plan. The Sunday school was added in 1888.
The chapel is unpainted roughcast with stucco dressings, with a slate deep-eaved hipped roof. It is of two storeys, with a pair of timber doorcases with Ionic columns on the ground floor, and wide arched windows with small panes and interlacing glazing bars to heads. Inside, the chapel is galleried with very early Gothic details, rare in a nonconformist chapel.
Source: Cadw Listed Building Record
K Steele, RCAHMW, 10 February 2009 - Description: Chapel first built 1726, enlarged pre-1733 & rebuilt & enlarged 1802. Rebuilt, altered or modified 1826 - 1827 & enlarged 1846. Sunday school built 1888. See Site Files [Ecclesiastical] for photos. Status (2000): in chapel use. Graded II* as one of the outstanding early C19 chapels in Wales, with strong external architectural character, and a good interior.
EXTERIOR
Chapel, unpainted roughcast with stucco dressings. Two-storey 2-window lateral front with slate deep-eaved hipped roof. Bracketed eaves. Ground floor has fine pair of timber doorcases with Ionic columns, entablature blocks and open dentilled pediments, to paired 3-panel doors with flush panelled reveals and fanlights with enriched radial tracery. Stucco ground floor from plinth to moulded string course at pediment level, with channelled strips flanking doors. Bay to left of left door is obscured by added schoolroom, bay to right has channelled strips each side continued up to first floor impost course. Raised stucco panels beneath first floor sills and moulded string course at impost level of the 2 arched first floor windows, broken to centre for centre plaque in eared stucco frame. First floor windows with wide arched heads, small panes and interlacing glazing bars to heads. Moulded stucco arches with keystones, and plain raised sides. Cast iron rainwater goods.
Right side in rubble stone with red brick dressings to openings. Two-storey 3-window range with paired brackets to eaves and cast iron rainwater goods. Arched windows with small panes and Gothic interlacing tracery to heads, and stone sills. Left side similar with lean-to obscuring 2 ground floor windows. Rendered rear wall with 2 tall arched windows with earlier C20 stained glass.
INTERIOR
Outstanding galleried interior, mainly of 1827, with very early Gothic detail for a Nonconformist chapel. Three-sided gallery with painted grained front and round arched panels with simple Gothic cusping (similar to those at Gwynfe chapel, Carms. Also 1827). Clock by D Levy of Carmarthen. Sharp curves to gallery angles and raked gallery seating. Gallery supported on 14 marbled Ionic columns.
Box pews with 2 large centre ranks and raked side blocks facing inward under galleries. Inward-facing pews each side of pulpit. Square panels to pew backs and doors. Early C19 pulpit on back wall also panelled, with sweeping curved stairs to sides with ramped handrail terminating in swirls, and stick balusters. Pulpit of wine-glass type on concave ribbed pedestal supported on single timber Ionic column, possibly originally taller. Pulpit back has taller centre panel with lower flanks, and Gothic detail to match gallery panels. Two large stained glass windows behind pulpit of 1922 and one to W side of c1946, all by Abbott & Co. Ceiling presumably of 1860 has good centre rose with acanthus spiral and 4 lacy radiating pendants. Coved plain cornice. Lobby with 6-panel internal doors with 3-light overlights with large octagonal lamp-housings. Pair of ogee-headed lobby windows of 1827 with contemporary stained glass.
Monuments: John Corrie (d 1731), with moulded frame and inscription that he was buried under his own seat in the meeting house. Rev. Samuel Thomas, 1766, with shaped top. Edward Bowen Jones (d1879), Gothic with cusped frame and coloured marble colonnettes, 1885, by Burke & Co, of London.
Large pipe organ in gallery by James J Buis of Bramley Organ Works, Leeds. - CADW
Stephen Hughes (d. 1688), the great Nonconformist preacher, was associated with the early days of this cause, which met first in "Yr Hen dy Cwrdd" in Friar's Park, then in Chapel House, Priory Street and, from 1726, with Thomas Perrott as Minister, in a Lammas Street room. Capel Heol Awst had a long and distinguished association with The Presbyerian College (NPRN:11610; Lodwick, Story of Carmarthen (1972)). A chapel was built in 1726, enlarged before 1733 (Lodwick) and rebuilt and enlarged in 1802 (date-stone) and 1826 and renovated in the late C19, with, in addition, a Sunday School of 1888 (Welsh Office). Status (2000): in chapel use. - Renovated: 1880A Source:Welsh Office
- Built: 1726 Source:1851 Relig. Census
- Built: 1726 Source:Datestone
- Rebuilt: 1826 Source:MHLG
- Rebuilt: 1826 Source:Welsh Office
- Rebuilt & Enlarged: 1826 Source:1851 Relig. Census
- Rebuilt: 1802 Source:Datestone
- Enlarged: 1826 Source:Datestone
- Sunday School: 1888 Source:Welsh Office (plaque
- Railings: 1888 Source:BOW
- Pulpit Windows: 1922 Source:BOW
- Window: 1946 Source:BOW
- Date Of Chapel: 1846 Source:RCAHMW
- : 1846 Source:
- New Ceiling: 1860 Source:CADW
- Builder: 1826 William Owen, Haverfordwest
- Architect: 1888 George Morgan, Carmarthen
- Mason: 1826 William Rowlands,
- £ 8250: 1905 (RCCEORBWM)
- 600: 1905 Accomodation (RCCEORBWM)
- 1000: 1905 Sittings (RCCEORBWM)
- Chapel: 03/1997 (Site visit - E Jones)
- Chapel: 2011 (Blwyddiadur)
- Welsh: 1905 (RCCEORBWM)
- Materials
- Rendered
- Monument Type: CHAPEL
- Form: Building
- Storey: Two Storey
- Style: Classical
- Gallery: On three sides
- Plan: Square
- Window Glazing: Stained Glass
- Windows: Round-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
The Languages of the Chapel during its History
Key Characteristics of this Chapel
Images from Coflein
Map
- Grid Reference: SN40912003
- Address: LAMMAS STREET, CARMARTHENCARMARTHEN
2 thoughts on “HEOL AWST WELSH INDEPENDENT CHAPEL (LAMMAS STREET), LAMMAS STREET, CARMARTHEN (CAPEL YR ANNIBYNWYR; LAMMAS STREET)”
Leave a Reply Cancel Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
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