Caersalem Independent Chapel

Caersalem Independent Chapel

This chapel is constructed in rock-faced local sandstone with contrasting dressed details in local grey limestone, employing a freely-interpreted Classical style. The front elevation is pedimented with a plain twice-corbelled string-course as cornice. The façade is articulated into three bays by pilasters, the two inner ones penetrating the pediment to the roof verge. The pilasters create a ladder-like effect from the meeting of limestone outbands, with the raking cornices similarly detailed. A tall stone finial crowns the apex. The roundel at the centre of the pediment, triple window over the entrance doors with bracketed sills and round arch heads, and tall symmetrical side windows with bracketed sills and round heads are all outlined in limestone. The doors are twin central doors with round arches on corner colonnettes, their caps lightly carved with floral decoration, containing double two-panel doors with prominent mouldings, curved top rails and fanlight with decorative circle above. A limestone plinth and terrazzo steps lead to the entrance.

The vestry façade at left is similarly constructed but simpler in design and smaller in scale. The side and rear of the chapel are rendered in rubble masonry with pecked limestone window dressings. The chapel has windows in two storeys: original timber mullioned windows survive on the right elevation. The lower storey windows on the west elevation, now covered by the vestry, have rebuilt segmentally arched heads and replaced modern frames. The vestry side is rendered with four-pane sash windows. Later utility extensions, possibly dating to around 1950, have been added to the rear of the vestry. The roof is slate with tile ridge and timber barge-boards. The organ chamber is carried out to the rear at high level over the graveyard, supported on concrete piers, with some graves remaining beneath it.

The interior dates to 1884 and is minimally altered. Access is through a symmetrical anteroom with terrazzo floor. The window from the anteroom to the main interior is glazed in lozenge panes of etched glass with margin panes of coloured patterned glass. Unequal double doors in pine with brass handles lead to the main interior, with four-panel pine doors on stair landings and wall-bracket handrails.

The gallery extends on three sides, linked to a slightly lower organ-loft behind the pulpit, and is carried on seven tapering and fluted cast-iron columns with floral caps. The gallery front features broad panels with an iron grille above and a central clock. Curved corners to the gallery front and seating hold three rows of seats at the sides and six at the rear.

Both the pulpit and sedd fawr are in oak with bold classical detailing and Art-Nouveau features, dating probably to the mid-twentieth century. The sedd fawr is raised two steps on a panelled back with curved corners. The pulpit has an octagonal front boldly bracketed out, with the upper stage containing panels framed by egg-and-dart enriched mouldings separated by fluted Ionic colonettes. Flanking staircases and pulpit have square newels and balusters, with the newels bearing sunk faces with oval decorative features near the top and leaf features between balusters at upper level.

The main interior seating consists of four blocks with a straight-line centre division and two passageways. Outer seating is angled or turned to face the pulpit, with simply-carved ends painted with numbers. The wall plaster is scored to imitate masonry joints.

The organ is by Norman and Beard, dating to 1911, and is set in a recess with a moulded and keyed elliptical arch carried on pilasters with Ionic caps.

The ceiling is divided into lozenges by large ribs, from the main intersections of which pendant metalwork light fittings hang, with a large decorative centre feature. The perimeter ceiling is diagonally boarded with fretwork-faced ventilators at the corners.

The vestry is entered by a six-panel semi-glazed side door within the chapel but also has a separate entrance with an internal pine porch. The interior is plain with panelled dado on all sides except the wall shared with the chapel. Schoolroom benches are present. A small vestry pulpit in pine has an octagonal front between newels with fretwork panels above and boarded panels below. Annexes to the rear contain a kitchen, boiler room and toilets.