Capel Horeb

Capel Horeb

A large, two-storey Calvinistic Methodist chapel in Classical style, dated 1883. The building comprises a prominent gable entrance block with symmetrical composition and side wings, constructed of snecked rubble masonry with rendered dressings and stressed rock-faced quoins. The main body of the chapel to the rear is rendered. The roof is slate with decorative red clay ridge tiles and terracotta fleur de lys finials; ornate wrought-iron crosses mark the apex of the main elevation and porches.

The main gable entrance elevation is strongly symmetrical, with a central advanced pedimented gable containing two gabled porches with paired round-headed lights. The entrances in the inner angles are sheltered under a slate-roofed verandah linking the two porches. The upper storey displays four round-headed leaded windows with continuous sill band and stressed keystones. The pedimented gable is formed by a rendered band with a datestone reading 'AD 1883' set in the gable apex.

The gable is flanked by two-storey gabled wings housing stairs to the gallery. Each wing features a tall round-headed leaded window with stressed keystone to the front, round-headed four-pane sash windows to each storey of the gable return, and a quatrefoil vent grille in each gable apex. The windows to the side elevations are four-pane sashes: square-headed to the lower storey, round-headed to the upper storey.

Interior

Entry through the left-hand porch doorway leads into a lobby with gallery stairs to the left and a deacons' room to the right (in the right-hand porch), with a schoolroom beyond to the right. The chapel is entered through a panelled door to the left, with a set fawr opposite the entrance. A door left of the set fawr leads to a rear entrance vestibule. All fittings are of pitch pine.

The set fawr, raised by one step, has plain panels to its lower part and pierced floriate panels interspersed with turned balusters under a moulded rail to the upper part. The side entrances and front (opened in 1963) feature turned newel posts.

The pulpit is canted with side entrances raised by curving steps with turned balusters and newels. The lower part of the pulpit stands on a square moulded plinth and features recessed panels with Ionic columns to the angles and a floriate carved band above. The upper part has composite piers to the angles with round-headed carved floriate panels in a moulded surround under an arch with floriate carving in the angles, a vitruvian scrolled band above, and a moulded corbelled cornice. Behind the pulpit is a decorative moulded plaster arched recess, its arch formed by recessed decorated panels with moulded surrounds supported on paired fluted pilasters with crocket capitals linked by a band of floriate moulding. The recess above contains a radiating floriate pattern with a moulded surround. Panelled doors flank the set fawr; a memorial plaque to Reverend John Williams (died 1921) is positioned above the right-hand door.

The lower storey has three ranks of box pews. The upper storey contains raking pews in a U-shaped gallery supported on tapering fluted iron columns with ornate brackets. The gallery front is formed of recessed moulded panels to the lower part with pierced floriate panels between turned balusters to the upper part and round-headed carved floriate panels at intervals, topped by a moulded rail.

The walls are plastered and painted, with tongued and grooved panelling to the lower half. The ceiling is slightly coved with pierced wooden decorative vent grilles.