- Structures
Unitarian Chapel, Lower Thomas Street
CF47 0DA
The Unitarians boasted
two buildings in the town. The first chapel, in Twynyrodyn, was built in 1821.
This was let to another religious group around the turn of the century and was
demolished in the late 1960s.
Gomer Thomas, the treasurer of the South East Wales Unitarian Society
was instrumental in building the new chapel in 1901. The chapel was closed in the
early 1960s and subsequently sold. Its stonework still proudly proclaims
“Unitarian Chapel”.
Grade II Listed
Location
Set in terraced row close to corner with Church Street.
History
Dated Dec 1901 (foundation stones). Designed by E A John(ston) FRIBA, architect
of Abergavenny and
Merthyr; S Lumley, builder. Art Nouveau Gothic.
Description
Exterior
Elaborate set back gabled facade with overall porch on streetline. Red
brick, pale freestone dressings including banding, red tile roofs. Tall
parapeted gable with finials and traceried panelling. Gabled and panelled
buttresses flank large 5-light sinuous traceried window. 1-storey, 5-bay porch
with crenellated parapet, pilasters, raised lettering and date. Cavetto-moulded
segmental arches with hoods on corbels; original railed and gated entrances
with outer steps up to chapel, inner go down to former schoolroom. Arched Lower
doorway under cornice with tablet flowers and shields, 3-light window over. Arched
treatment to lean-to roofs over entrances.
Interior
4-bay chapel interior with short transepts. Tall "chancel
arch" with brick infill and pilasters. Segmental side arches with
polygonal concave-sided shafts and bases; foliage caps and bracket corbels to
hammer-beam roof with arched braces and high collars with king-posts.
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