History

Calvinistic Methodist chapel of 1898, probably designed by William Griffiths of Llanelli. Unsigned plans in the archives of William Griffiths and similarities to other chapels by Griffiths suggest that he was the architect. The chapel cost £1,700, the foundation stones were laid by Samuel Thomas, the owner of the Broadoak Colliery and William Clement and the first minister was the Rev. Daniel Jones.The chapel replaces the one adjoining, built in 1842, which was converted to a schoolroom in 1903. It was in the schoolroom that Evan Roberts addressed the youth meeting on 31 October 1904 that marks a beginning of the Welsh Revival of 1904-5, subsequent meetings in the following week were held in the new chapel. The revival spread to other parts of the world and the chapel and schoolroom are now increasingly visited by people from many countries.
Roberts is buried at Moriah, and his memorial is in the chapel forecourt.

Exterior

Chapel, rock-faced coursed squared brown stone with flush dressings in sandstone ashlar, apart from the triple doorway, in tooled sandstone. Slate roof with cemented verge, altered from original and tiny brackets to eaves to sides. Broad front with 3 first floor arched windows and broad eyebrow plaque all framed in a broad arched recess with flush stone voussoirs and quoins. Windows have piers framing, moulded caps, raised stilted heads and keystones. First floor left and right slightly lower and wider arched window with flush band connecting back to centre recess at level of pier capitals. Flush arched heads and keystones. In gable each side are small arched lights and in apex a similar louvred opening, all with flush dressings and keystones. Ground floor has slightly raised triple gabled centre feature in tooled stone with moulded coping and deep shoulders each side, framing 3 arched doors. Centre gable and centre door are broader and slightly taller, doors have ashlar flush surrounds with keystones, and there are bands at impost level and above plinths. 6-panel doors, double to centre, fanlights with marginal glazing bars. Foundation stones dated 12/9/1898 on piers between doors. Plain cambered headed window each side in flush surround with keystone. All windows have late C20 plastic glazing.
Sides are rendered over low stone plinth, 2-storey, 5 bays with arched windows above and square-headed windows below, all with marginal glazing bars. Stucco hoods.

Interior

Plastered walls, moulded cornice and plaster cove to boarded ceiling in 3 large panels each diagonally ribbed with centre metal round ventilator, surrounded by 2 borders, the inner one also ribbed with 6 square ventilation panels, the outer one diagonally boarded. Upper windows have arched hoods on corbels.
Three-sided timber gallery on 7 fluted cast-iron columns with ornate scroll capitals made by G Kyte and Co., Cardiff. Gallery has canted angles and long horizontal panels between upper and lower moulded cornices, another moulding over the column which are set well back. Panels are separated by short piers and have chamfered edges, vertical boarding and stencil corner decoration. Pitch pine pews with boarded backs in 3 main blocks with some inward facing pews each side of pulpit.
Great seat enclosures in front of and to each side of pulpit platform, with panelling under low balustrade and moulded rail, curved at angles. Newels with ball finials.
Large and ornate pulpit platform with steps up from each side, with turned balusters and ornate newels with tapering finials. Platform has short section each side of projecting broad pulpit with canted angles. Pulpit has 5 sides of varying sizes, broadest to front, panelled in vertical and horizontal panels framed by panelled pilasters. Section each side has a pierced panel with paired arches and turned balusters, and a similar half-size panel in the return side flanks the stairs. Moulded top rail, deep cornice and frieze below, and over set-back panelled base. Broad panelled back to platform under wide plaster feature with broad fluted pilasters, carrying basket arch with roundel under an entablature with cornice broken forward from main chapel cornice. Wall framed by arch and pilasters is quartered in 4 panels to form cross pattern.
Opposite end has lobby with 5-light leaded window with top-lights, and door each side into chapel. Stairs up to gallery which has similar pews to main chapel.

Reasons for Listing

Included primarily for historical association with Evan Roberts and the national religious revival in 1904-5. The main chapel is largely unaltered in character.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29503712

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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