- Nprn: 8637
- Cadw Record No: 18903
- Summary: Peniel Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, Llaneilian Road, is a remarkably sophisticated design of 1900 by architect Richard Davies of Bangor. It replaced an earlier building built in 1850 and modified in 1861. The 1900 chapel is built in the Classical/Italianate style with a square plan and pyramid roof. The façade is a confident reminiscence of a Neoclassical orangery in unpainted stucco. The three-bay central short-wall entry has arched windows between Doric columns framed by pedimented pavilions each with a lunette over a pedimented porch. The interior is without galleries but has radial seating. There is a boarded ceiling above an enriched plaster cove. A schoolroom was added c.1950. Peniel is now Grade 2 Listed, as a strongly detailed chapel retaining the original external and internal architectural scheme virtually intact.
RCAHMW, October 2009 - Description: Summary: stone-built chapel in the classical style with cement render cladding. To the design of Richard Davies of Bangor, the 20 and more years that elapsed between his superb remodelling of Capel Jerusalem, Bethesda and his remodelling of Capel Ebenezer, Caernarfon, reflected in differences in this later building. Single-storeyed, ungalleried interior, with end entries via pedimented porches; hipped slate roof, pyramidal in front. Open bench seats but, as at Ebenezer and Jerusalem, on a radiating plan. Pulpit against rear wall.
History: present chapel built 1898-1900 to replace a chapel of ca. 1850. Works costing 900 in 1861 (Board of Celtic Studies database). Specification of April 1898 and drawings (amongst chapel records) by Richard Davies, architect (125, High Street, Bangor). Agreement of May, 4th, 1898 with the contractors, Messrs. Thomas & Son [shipbuilders] of Amlwch Port. Sub contract of 1899 between the architect and the contractors - Lewis and William Thomas & Sons, Ship builders, Amlwch - and Owen Owens, Slater and plasterer, of Cemaes, Anglesey, for slating, cementing and plastering the new chapel. The architect's specification of April, 1898, stated that the walls throughout were to be of rubble stonework with brick corners?, all joints left open for keying of cement; parts of the exterior to be finished with smooth cement, and intermediate parts, shaded differently on the drawings, to be finished with light crushed spar. American yellow pine was to be used for all windows and front doors, with details of woods to be used for other parts of the structures, the flooring boards, for instance, of "best selected white Baltic boards". Tongued and grooved boards for part of the ceiling, as per drawings, and fibrous plaster cove. Obscured sheet glass for bottom panes of windows. Gas lighting: 7 lights "where directed". Every seat back of horizontal boards. Many of the details in the 1898 specification bear close comparison with existing features in the chapel, even though all details - e.g., a table and 2 chairs of pitch pine in the Elders' Pew - were not then fully determined. The specification refers, for instance, to bolection-moulded panels on the porch doors, the upper panels to be glazed with obscured polished plate glass.
Accommodation: in 1905, seating accommodation for 410 in the chapel and for 400 in the schoolroom.
Exterior: grit-faced walls with cement-rendered dressings. Slate hipped roof, pyramidal at front and rear but with ridge and base of 2 vents (the vents removed ca. 1977) over side elevations. All elevations, even to some extent the rear, articulated by a framework of Roman Doric engaged columns, above projecting pedestals with plinth and cornice, and below an Ionic cornice; arcaded fenestration in front and side elevations.
Front elevation: recessed 3-bay centre wing of arcaded fenestration, set back behind engaged columns with antae; projecting and pedimented end bays, the last of 1 storey and attic, with giant pilasters; projecting pedimented and pilasterd porches. The pilastered porches each with an entablature and triangular pediment, the tympanum inset with spar chippings. Each entrance with 3 steps to pair of porch doors, each door 5-panelled and as shown in architect's specification and drawing of 1898, viz, square bolection-moulded bottom panel below 4 panels of obscured sheet glass. Above each porch, an attic storey with a Diocletian window with moulded head and triple keyblock; cill band and panelled spandrels, in framework of giant pilasters with fluted upper shaft above window cill level; triangular pediments. In the 3-bay centre wing the window openings have moulded arched heads and triple keyblocks above antae; inset with 12-pane sash windows beneath arched, almost Diocletian heads, as in the end bays. Impost band in line with cill band of end bays and continuing round all elevations. White marble plaque beneath centre windows, inscribed: "Peniel M.C./ 1900/ Yr Hen Gapel/ 1850".
Side elevations: each of 6 bays including narrower framed niche at S. end with panel above impost band. Cement-rendered Doric pilasters with paired clasping pilasters at ends and with fluted shafts below caps and above impost bands; intermediate walling with spar/grit finish. Paired clasping pilasters at NE. corner are enclosed by later vestry addition (see below).
Rear elevation: grit walling; cement rendered pilasters and entablature etc.; clasping pilasters; impost bands and entablature to each side of altered gabled projection in centre, punctuated each side by paired pilasters; in the centre, the raked dentil cornice is retained in the pedimental gable, but the main entablature has been removed. The bases of pilasters and their pedestals are visible in a C20 flat-roofed rear corridor that encloses them and connects the chapel with the vestry.
Vestry and schoolroom: C20 flat roofed vestry against schoolroom and NE. angle of chapel, its S., front wall with 3 steps up to a C20 door, with a 4-pane plastic-framed window beside it; to E. again, a ramp leads up to the schoolroom entrance. Schoolroom rebuilt? 1952: this has walls of pebbledash and a double-pitched corrugated roof; two 3-light plastic-framed windows with transoms under the W. and E. gables; two similar 4-light windows in the N. elevation.
Boundary walls: stone boundary walls on W. and E. of site, and also uphill at rear in Llewelyn Street. W. wall runs uphill alongside a footpath, and is low on footpath side. At the front of the chapel grounds, along Llaneilian Road, a square wall pier of tooled ashlar with flat coping at either end; in between, stone walls with rendered coping, canted in to low stone gate piers at the centre entry; iron gates. These have double top rails curving down towards centre, and uprights (5 below and 4 above lock rail) with finials, flanked by openwork panelling of circlets within rectangles.
Interior: porches and vestibules: porch interiors with red encaustic-tile floors with red and black-patterned borders; matchboarded dado beneath plaster walls. A pair of doors between each porch and vestibule, each pair of doors as in 1898 spec., with 2 bolection-moulded panels at base, the 4 upper panels of leaded, coloured and stained glass (see spec.). Each vestibule contains a shallow loft over the porch, with ladder access from it to the chapel roof. Canted inner vestibule wall on the line of the semi-polygon at S. end of chapel interior. The vestibule has a woodblock floor, laid herringbone fashion; matchboarded dado with painted plaster walls over; flat ceiling faced with diagonal matchboarding and a moulded wood cornice. 9-panel door to chapel, the upper 6 panels of clear glass, and with 3 moulded panels at base.
Chapel interior: doors from the 2 vestibules open on to the rear diagonal aisles that lead to rear cross aisles, and that also continue as an aisle to each side of cemtre block of seating. Chapel auditorium with raked wood floor with raised wooden platform beneath the seating; red-carpeted aisles. Dado of "grooved tongued and jointed boards" as stipulated in the spec. of 1898, under reeded frieze and top beading. Blue-painted plaster walls up to ceiling cornice at window impost level, the window reveals and spandrels also of blue-painted plaster. The window heads and spandrels cut into the deep ceiling cove of fibrous plaster. Obliquely canted walls to S. vestibules; between the vestibules, the three S. windows are set within an arched recess that rises to the ceiling. Window openings with flat cills and angle beads; lower window panes of obscured glass and upper ones of clear glass. Wall vents with clasped fist handles, 3 to each side. The oblong ceiling has a 3-sided, semi-polygonal S. end, over the arched recess, and abutting the canted vestibule walls. The ceiling is faced with blue-grey painted panels of tongued and grooved boards; the outer, margin, panels frame 9 sunk inner panels, the last arranged in strips of 3, with the centre strip further recessed and containing 3 arched panels; these have an inset circular vent in the centre panel, and flanking circular vents-cum-lamp holders of ca. 1900.
Seating: numbered and open-bench seats arranged on a radiating plan (see above, and see RCAHM(W) plan). Convex and horizontally-boarded seat backs of pine with rounded top beading. Shaped and chamfered and flat-topped bench ends with brass "eyelets" for umbrella holders and brass number plates.
Seating arranged as 1): a centre block of paired seats, numbered 77-84 on W. and 87-94 on E.; shaped vestigial seat dividers in centre. The cross-aisle is behind 1). To each side, from the pulpit end and facing at right angles on to the centre, are 3 further blocks of seats, viz.: 2): a block of single seats, 5 deep, and numbered 23-27 on W. side of chapel and 28-32 on E.; 2): a block of paired seats; on the W. side of the chapel, the S. pews numbered 13-17 and the N. pews 18-22; on the E. side of the chapel, the N. pews numbered 33-37 and the S. pews numbered 38-42; 3): a block of paired seats, the S.seats & part of the N. seats in the block angled obliquely towards the rear diagonal aisle; on W. side of chapel, numbered 1-7 along the rear diagonal aisle and 8-12 on the N., with seat no. 8 comprising a narrow seat in front. On the E side of the chapel, numbered 43-47 on the N., with 47 comprising a narrow seat at the front, and 48-54 on the S., along the rear diagonal aisle to the vestibule. 4) is behind the cross-aisle and behind part of 1) above, and fans out in width along the rear diagonal aisle. On W. side of chapel, 4) is numbered 67-71 on E., and 72-76 on W., with an unnumbered seat at the front; on E. side of chapel, and separated from its corresponding W. block by an aisle, 4) is numbered 55-59 and 60-64, again with an unnumbered seat at the front. A rear wall seat behind both E. and W. blocks of 4).
Sedd Fawr enclosure and pulpit: 2 oblique steps each side to Sedd Fawr enclosure; this is rectangular in front, and widens in width to N. of the 2 side entrances, as the enclosure originally contained both the pulpit and its flanking doors; to N. of the steps on the E. side, the Sedd Fawr bench seat and its external facing have been removed; this section of the Sedd Fawr bench seat is now in the vestry. The Sedd Fawr enclosure is faced with a top strip of scrolled open ironwork panels; horizontal bolection-moulded panels below; moulded handrail; turned newels with square chamfered caps and urn finials; the Sedd Fawr bench seat is similar to the other chapel seating. The pine table and chair in the Sedd Fawr also probably to Richard Davies's design, the chair with scroll arms and carved panel back.
3 carpeted steps each side up to rectangular pulpit platform, which is faced with horizontal bolection-moulded panels below a mid cornice; parapet of trabeated columnar balusters, returning to the top stair newels, which have urn finials. The parapet continues along the front and sides of the centre pulpit projection, where it is infilled with open fret wood panels. On the wall behind the pulpit, there is bolection-moulded panelling (5-panel width in 2 tiers), set behind and framed by a white-painted and gilded aedicule, distyle in antis, beneath a triangular pediment. The single flanking doors are of 6 bolection-moulded panels in an architrave frame, and these connect with a flat-roofed rear corridor that leads up 2 steps to the NE. vestry.
Musical instruments: at the front of the main centre block of paired seats are, 1): a Hammond electronic organ, in current use, and 2): a single-manual, electric reed organ of the late 1950s by Martnell? Miller Organ Co. Ltd, Norwich.
Memorials: 1st World War Memorial on W. wall.
Vestry interior: wood-block floor; painted-plaster walls; bench seat as in chapel against S. wall; against E. wall, a circular clock and a C19 2-tier cupboard with upper shelves behind glazed doors.
Schoolroom interior: wood-block parquet floor; painted-plaster walls, painted white above blue. Late-C19 dresser-cum-cupboard on E.; on S. wall, circular wall clock with moulded frame, and bearing legend: "Russells Ltd./ 18 Church Street/ Liverpool". Seating: about 20 iron-framed wood bench seats from Liverpool, also iron-framed bench seats-cum-desks. On the W. dais are a C20 lectern, a NW. cupboard and an upright piano, the last: "Crewe & Sons Ltd., Bangor & London".
OMJ. 4/-8/97. Visited 15/4/97 with DJR, DP & PI. - Built: 1850 Source:Plaque
- Earlier Chapel: 1850 Source:Cadw
- Rebuilt: 1900 Source:Architect's Drawings
- Date Of Chapel: 1900 Source:Cadw (plaque)
- School Room Added: c.1950 Source:Cadw (plaque)
- Rebuilt: 1861 Source:Capeli Mon, 43
- Architect: 1900 Richard Davies, Bangor
- £ 2650: 1905 (RCCEORBWM)
- 410: 1905 Sittings (RCCEORBWM)
- 400: 1905 Sittings (RCCEORBWM)
- Chapel: 19/09/1997 (Cadw)
- Chapel: 2011 (Denominational Yearbook)
- Materials
- Monument Type: CHAPEL
- Form: Building
- Style: Italianate
- Gallery: X
- Plan: Hipped Box
- Pulpit Position: Rear wall
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: SH45199312
- Address: LLANEILIAN ROAD, PORTH AMLWCH; AMLWCH PORTAMLWCH
3 thoughts on “PENIEL CHAPEL (WELSH CALVINISTIC METHODIST), LLANEILIAN ROAD, PORTH AMLWCH; AMLWCH PORT (EGLWYS BRESBYTERAIDD CYMRU)”
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still being used as a chapel
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