- Nprn: 7152
- Summary: The last English nonconformist church to be established in Aberystwyth was that of the Presbyterians. English language services had been held at Seilo since 1863, later moving to the Temperance Hall in Queens Road. Aberystwyth English Methodist Church was launched in 1865 but it was a further seven years before they had their own church building. In May 1871 David Davies, the railway contractor, laid a foundation stone at the site in Bath Street (Newfoundland Street). At the ceremony, the appointed architect, the prolific Richard Owenss, fresh from Alfred Place, outlined his proposals for the new building: the style was to be Gothic, Early English or Owenss interpretation of it.
Walls of local blue rubble stone worked square, with dressings of Cefn quarry-stone. The windows were to be wholly of stone, relieved by Early English geometrical tracery, and filled with Cathedral glass. Inside, the vestibules and aisles were to be laid with encaustic tiles and the seats were to be of best pitch pine, varnished, the pulpit and communion rail of the same material handsomely worked. St Davids English Presbyterian Church opened in April 1872, the defining feature being the two flanking turrets.
In 1902 the complex was considerably but sympathetically expanded by the addition of a schoolroom to the design of local architect J Arthur Jones whose other works in the town include the Coliseum Theatre, now the Ceredigion Museum. The chapel itself was enlarged by the addition of transepts in 1905.
In 1905 (Royal Commission on the Church of England and other Religious Bodies in Wales and Monmouthshire) there were 800 sittings in the chapel and 250 in the Sunday School.
RCAHMW, November 2009 - Description: Chapel built 1871/2 in Gothic style, gable entry type, to the design of Richard Owen of Liverpool. Total cost including site £2300. A prominent feature of this Chapel is the flanking turrets. Status (1998): in other use, doctors surgery
- Transepts Added: 1905 Source:Capel
- Built: 1871 Source:RCAHMW
- Built*: 1872 Source:Capel
- Date Of Chapel: 1871 Source:
- Organ Installed: 1884 Source:Capel
- Schoolroom Added: 1902 Source:Capel
- Stained Glass: 1988 Source:BOW
- Architect: 1905 George Dickens Lewis, Shrewsbury
- Architect: 1872 Richard Owens, Liverpool
- Architect: 1902 J. Arthur Jones,
- Stained Glass: 1988 John Petts,
- £ 5000: 1905 (RCCEORBWM)
- 475: 1905 (RCCEORBWM)
- 255: 1905 (RCCEORBWM)
- Chapel: 25/08/1996 (Site visit)
- Chapel: 2010 (Site visit)
- Materials
- Stone
- Monument Type: CHAPEL
- Form: Building
- Storey: Two Storey
- Style: Gothic
- Gallery: End galleries
- Plan: Gable Entry
- Pulpit Position: Rear Wall
- Window Glazing: Tracery
- Windows: Gothic
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: SN58438193
- Address: BATH STREET, ABERYSTWYTHABERYSTWYTH
2 thoughts on “ENGLISH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (ST DAVID'S UNITED REFORMED), BATH STREET, ABERYSTWYTH (BATH STREET; ST DAVID'S)”
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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