Seion Methodist Chapel, including railings to forecourt

Seion Methodist Chapel

This is a Methodist chapel of two storeys with a basement, featuring a gable entry with a narrower projecting gable to the rear (east) housing the organ, and a gabled porch to the front. The elevations are rendered throughout, with a slate roof topped by red clay ridge tiles, rendered copings, and a single rendered stack to the rear.

The west entrance elevation is strikingly symmetrical, with a steep gable pedimented with rendered mouldings and carrying, on each side, visually detached parapets with rusticated quoins surmounted by ball and spike finials. The cornice is broken at its centre by the semi-circular arched head of the principal window, which is recessed and contains three round-headed fixed lights with margin panes beneath a central circular light, all framed by heavily moulded rendered surrounds. The recess is marked by stressed quoins matching those at each corner of the building and is faced at ground level by a slightly projecting gabled porch. On each side of the central recess at first floor level are single double-hung sliding sash windows, placed symmetrically above paired sash windows at ground level. All are four-paned with heavily moulded architraves; the ground floor window heads are segmental with keystones, while the first floor windows sit beneath the cornice, each carrying a triangular moulded pediment above. Continuous sill bands encircle the building at ground and first floor levels.

The north and south elevations each contain four windows. The north elevation rises to three storeys, the south to two storeys. All windows are double-hung sliding sash with margin panes and heavily moulded architraves and sill bands. The east elevation features a smaller projecting gable surmounted by a chimney, with stressed quoins and central first floor sash windows positioned above paired sash windows at ground floor level.

The chapel grounds are enclosed by a low rubble wall. The front features rubble piers with rendered caps between lower capped walls surmounted by trefoil-finialled railings. The double gates in front of the entrance are similarly detailed with a descending top rail.

Interior

The porch opens into a full-width vestibule with gallery staircases at each end and two doors providing entrance to the aisles within the chapel. Three ranks of pews are arranged with the central rank containing a staggered divider, positioned at the opposite (east) end beneath and in front of the organ and choir gallery set within the eastern gable projection.

The set fawr comprises three bays, with the central bay advanced and featuring raking sides, with entrances to either side. It has recessed panels, the upper panels pierced. The pulpit is similarly shaped with plain recessed panelling and moulded surrounds; it has side entrances raised by six steps. The railings feature stick balusters with foliate brackets beneath a moulded rail, and turned newel posts with acorn finials.

Flanking the set fawr are panelled doors: the left hand provides access to a cupboard, while the right hand leads to stairs descending to the schoolroom below. A continuous gallery is supported on slightly tapering cast iron composite columns, with the front featuring recessed panels with moulded surrounds and a shallow panel broken by widely spaced diamond panels. Above and to the rear of the set fawr is the organ and choir gallery, enhanced by a basket-headed arch with fluted piers and moulded capitals. The walls and ceiling are decorated with narrow plaster panels with moulded surrounds.

The walls are plain plastered with tongued and grooved boarded dado panelling at ground floor level and on the gallery. The gallery walls carry a moulded cornice beneath a pierced ventilation frieze. The ceiling is coved and comprises deeply recessed plaster panels with moulded timber surrounds. The central section features diagonally set dividers forming a diamond design, with inner panels containing ornate circular ventilation grilles and outer panels with diagonally set tongued and grooved panelling.