Bethany Chapel

Bethany Chapel is a two-storey building with a semi-basement schoolroom and a three-bay gable-end facade, constructed in the 19th century. The front elevation is built of snecked rock-faced stone with sandstone dressings, beneath a slate roof with wide boarded eaves.

Access to the chapel is gained by two tiers of wide stone steps, bounded by snecked stone side walls with heavily moulded copings. These walls continue at a lower level to enclose a small forecourt and support cast iron railings with fleur-de-lis finials. Between the corner piers are square cast iron posts and double gates, also with fleur-de-lis finials and scrolled dog rails.

The front entrance is a central round-arched doorway with moulded imposts and a small keystone. Double panelled doors are set beneath an overlight with radial glazing. Flanking this on either side are round-arched windows to match, each with a corbelled sill containing a 6-pane window with margin glazing. A string course marks the division to the first floor, above which are a pair of round-headed windows at the centre, with single windows to each side. The moulded cornice runs to the gable, where a roundel in the apex bears the inscription 'Bethany AD 1879' enclosing four small circles.

Flanking the main steps are narrower stone steps descending to segmental-headed doorways with panelled doors, providing access to the basement. A foundation stone above the right-hand door reads 'This stone was laid by H H Vivian Esq. MP, August 14th 1879'. A wide dressed stone stringcourse defines the basement storey.

The chapel was extended at the rear with an additional bay and a vestry. The original rubble stone basement walls, now visible at side level through quoins, contain four windows, all 9-pane with overlights and segmental heads. A one-bay addition to the left has a small segmental-headed window set in a yellow brick surround. The chapel above the basement is rendered to each side and features five windows. These windows sit within full-height, slightly raised surrounds and are 9-pane with flat heads and stone sills. Those to the ground floor are positioned below moulded round arches, the tympana containing giant fluted keystones that continue down to the window heads.

The vestry to the rear is constructed of rubble stone with a hipped slate roof and yellow brick quoins. Its openings have segmental heads with yellow brick surrounds. The north side displays one window with aligned 4-pane sashes to the chapel and basement, with a further basement window to its left and double panelled doors to the right leading into the vestry. A small light in a heavy surround is offset above. The south side has an irregular arrangement of similar windows: two windows over a single window to the right, and two small lights to the left. A single-storey flat-roofed lean-to is built against the basement. The rear of the vestry features a central 4-pane sash in a yellow-brick surround, with a blocked opening below it filled with yellow brick.

The interior vestibule contains half-lit double doors on each side leading to the gallery stairs. Directly ahead is a wide 3-light window with Art Nouveau glass, the central light containing a 4-pane sash. Flanking planked doors lead into the chapel proper.

The chapel itself features a three-sided wood-panelled gallery supported on narrow cast iron fluted columns with scrolled and foliate capitals. The gallery front is corbelled with panels featuring cut-away angles and geometrical motifs, below which runs an ironwork frieze of open circles beneath the front gallery windows.

A square-headed full-height organ chamber occupies the east end, enclosed within a timber surround comprising pilasters, high scrolled capitals, a moulded dentilled lintel, and scrolled braces at the upper angles. The organ front is panelled with blind lancets, flanked by panelled doors. A panelled reredos is set forward below, including a round blind arch on lintels behind the pulpit, topped with balustrading incorporating gilded anthemion motifs. The pulpit itself has a straight front with chamfered angles and balustrading above matching the reredos. Dog-leg stairs flank either side.

The Set Fawr (communion table) is of solid pale-coloured wood with chamfered angles and serves as a war memorial dated 1947. Three tiers of planked pews with carved bench ends occupy the main floor. The chapel ceiling is boarded and ribbed timber with metal tie beams. One vent retains fretwork.

The vestry above is open-plan. The storey above contains a minister's room, elders' room, and cloakrooms, all with panelled doors and moulded surrounds. A staircase on the west side with square balusters leads up to the gallery.

The former schoolroom beneath the chapel is open-plan, divided by four-bay arcades to each side composed of plain cast iron columns.