Capel Siloam

Capel Siloam

A striking two-storey chapel with slate roof and hipped rear gable, distinguished by its ornate stone front. The facade is set back behind a lean-to entry porch flanked by twin towers with domed tops.

The front elevation displays an exceptionally elaborate Baroque treatment. It is constructed of grey limestone laid in a chequered pattern of square blocks separated by narrow rectangular blocks, with extensive sandstone ashlar moulded dressings throughout. The main pediment features moulded coping, a ball finial, a flush lower band and a keyed oval panel.

The first floor contains an exuberant Baroque tripartite window of Palladian type, with an arched centre window and side lights set within an elaborate stone frame. The centre section is fully pedimented and pilastered, with an aedicule reaching through into the main front pediment and enclosing a moulded arch with pilaster jambs; a long keystone links the arch to the aedicule pediment. The side lights are pilastered with corniced entablatures and massive triple keystones. A heavy moulded sill course runs across the entire width.

The lean-to porch has a three-bay front with an ashlar pedimental-gabled centrepiece in grey stone, flanked by ashlar parapets and pediment coping with five ball finials. The centrepiece is rusticated ashlar, featuring a large arched doorway with double panelled doors and a leaded fanlight. The sides contain arched single lights in moulded ashlar eared frames with double keystones. The side parapets have undulating roll-and-flat coping.

The twin towers are three-stage structures. The first two stages are square with channelled ashlar angles and an arched window on each floor. These windows have ashlar surrounds—flush rusticated with double keystones at ground floor level, and moulded eared surrounds with double keystones above. A moulded sill course runs to the first floor, matched by a cornice above. The tower outer faces have similar windows; the tower inner first floors have matching blank panels. The towers are capped with octagonal cupolas of large proportions. Each drum carries keyed ovals on the cardinal faces and console feet on the shorter diagonal faces, with channelled angle pilasters and a moulded cornice. The leaden shallow domes follow a flattened ogee profile with bell-cast tops and ball finials.

The side walls present a two-storey, four-window elevation of small-paned sashes with twenty panes in plain ashlar surrounds. The lower windows have voussoired heads and keystones.

The rear contains two first-floor sashes and a substantial single-storey schoolroom with five windows featuring twenty-four-pane sashes to the rear wall. The roof is hipped to the north and canted hipped to the south.

The interior is of exceptional quality. The ceiling features eighteenth-century-style plaster panelling with a modillion cornice. A three-sided curved-ended gallery in painted wood is supported on five iron columns with florid brackets that carry the gallery's panelled underside. The gallery front consists of long panels interrupted by square panelled piers, with a dentil cornice. Pine pews are arranged in three blocks, including a half-oval great seat with a turned-baluster back.

The pulpit stands on a corniced panelled base with an ornate panelled upper half and large ball finials at the angles. The woodwork displays varied graining, with the centre section broken forward with black ringed angle shafts. Behind the pulpit is a fine Renaissance-style aedicule comprising triple stepped blank arches with a centre console key, all set within an ornate Ionic frame with full entablature, a festooned frieze and modillion cornice.

The rear lobby contains double half-glazed doors on each side and a centre window, all fitted with patterned and coloured leaded lights. The gallery features steeply raked pews that curve to match the gallery angles. The vestry has a boarded three-sided hipped roof and a balustraded enclosure with benches and lectern at one end.