Williams Pantycelyn Memorial Chapel

Williams Pantycelyn Memorial Chapel

A chapel built in Decorated Gothic style, constructed of rock-faced grey Dunvant stone with Bridgend green stone dressings and a slate roof with coped gable. The design is notably ornate and ecclesiastical in character.

The front elevation presents a gable of three bays, divided by ashlar piers that rise to turret finials. These piers are three-staged: square at the lowest level, then broadened to three-sided form on carved beast corbels just below the first floor. A double band runs under the first floor, with a single band positioned under the third stage at the height of the main window arches. This stage features panels with gabled hoods on each face, and the finials carry pointed panels to their shafts with pointed octagonal caps above.

The broad centre bay is approached by steps leading to two pointed doorways with heavy moulding and double column shafts. Above runs a band bearing an inscription. The main windows are stepped: a large stone-traceried 2-light centre window with narrow single lancets to each side, all heavily moulded with column shafts. Triangular-section narrow shafts flank the centre window, rising through the gable. A traceried band sits under the gable on either side of a blank sexfoil in an ashlar pointed surround, with the flanking triangular shafts rising to small finials. The gable features an unusual treatment of flush cusped pointed panels in purple stone set within green sandstone ashlar. The side bays display similar purple flushwork in their upper triangles above an ashlar band with inset square panels, this band corresponding to the springing level of the centre windows.

The first floor of each side bay contains a short single light window, moulded and column-shafted with chamfered ashlar sill, sitting above an upper course of a double dripcourse (continued from the mouldings of the centre inscription band). The ground floor has small paired windows of similar design, without angle shafts, featuring deep chamfered sills and conjoined hoodmoulds. Stone flagstones and steps occupy the front area, set behind a rubble low wall with low iron railings.

The returns on each side feature a flushwork gable and a first floor single light window matching those on the outer bays of the front. The following three bays to the rear are plain, each carrying a double pointed window with simple buttresses between. A large rendered lean-to extends from the rear.

Interior

The interior is notably ecclesiastical in character. A three-sided apse with boarded timber vault is separated from the main body of the chapel by a Gothic chancel arch with short column corbels. To the left of the arch stands a highly carved Gothic pulpit in Caen stone, reached by stone steps. The pulpit has five sides with ornately carved Gothic panels featuring column shafts, the inner shafts executed in pink marble. The panels carry finely carved reliefs depicting the life of Christ and one relief of William Williams. Segmental-pointed doorways to the rear vestry flank the arch on either side. The apse contains a small ornate Gothic harmonium in place of a central pulpit.

The broad main body of the chapel is furnished with pews arranged in three blocks. The roof is boarded and three-sided, supported by trusses resting on carved corbels. Each truss carries two collars, both arch-braced, with a turned king strut between them. A flat ceiling spans above the upper collar.

An end wall gallery overlooks the entrance lobby, supported on two octagonal timber columns with brackets to the cornice and a pitch-pine panelled front of large square panels beneath pairs of small square panels. The lobby contains a leaded 3-light wooden window and two double doors. The gallery carries raked pews and features fine stained glass windows of 4 lights depicting Isaiah and St Matthew at the centre, flanked by King David and Miriam. These windows are inscribed in memory of Ieuan Gwyllt, the Reverend Thomas Phillips and Ann Griffith, and are attributed to Cox & Son.