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Calfaria Welsh Baptist Chapel, Monk Street, Aberdar

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NPRN8905
Map ReferenceSO00SW
Grid ReferenceSO0019002450
Unitary (Local) AuthorityRhondda Cynon Taff
Old CountyGlamorgan
CommunityAberdare
Type Of SiteCHAPEL
PeriodPost Medieval
Description
Chapel built 1813 & enlarged 1829 & 1832. Rebuilt/modified 1851 to the design of Rev W Lewis(?). Gabel entry type chapel with two storeys. Building is listed Grade 2. Status (1997): in chapel use.

Calfaria Chapel was first built in 1813, enlarged in 1829 and 1832 and rebuilt in 1851 at a cost of £400 to the designs of Rev William Lewis. A hall was added in l871. The chapel has a Classical, 3-bay front with a pediment and with an advanced central bay. It is built of coursed rubble with freestone dressings, including a moulded cornice, quoins and plinth, and a slate roof with some cresting and boarded eaves. In the pediment is a stone roundel with bricked up quatrefoil over a datestone decorated with swags and inscribed CALFARIA 1851. There is a larger, central, wheel window above the main entrance, which has a deeply moulded, round arched, surround and panelled doors with an intersecting Gothic fanlight. There are small pane sash windows to the outer bays with marginal glazing bars, those on gallery level with cornices and blind panelled aprons. The 'facade' is continued around the corners with 4-bay side elevations with a high plinth serving as the ground floor sill. These elevations have similar sash windows, round-headed to gallery level over square headed below.

The hall (dated l871) is set transversely and projects to either side at the far end; snecked rubble and slate roof. 3-bay gabled front facing Griffith Street. Tall round arched windows with glazing bars and 'Y' shaped heads, central panelled doors with intersecting tracery fanlight. Horned 12 pane sashes to cement render rear.

Burial ground containing some good later Cl9 monuments including one to the notable Dr Thomas Price; bordered by a rubble wall to Monk Street and sloping up Griffith Street with rounded coping. 2 entrances, the main one being in Monk Street with gate piers capped by glass lamps on metal bases (missing to right); Griffiths Street entrance is opposite the Bethania Ysgoldy.

Rectangular interior with coved and boarded ceiling; roses to corners and centre and diamond shaped panel to centre with plaster foliage detail; bracket cornice. Raked gallery, projecting far into the church carried on cast iron columns; bowed cast iron gallery front with intricate foliage. The platform and steps up to 'set fawr' have cast iron newels with gilding and ball finials; barley twist balusters. Baptistery beneath . Simple Gothic organ case. Hall to rear has 5-bay roof; boarded ceiling with edges and billet moulded cornice. Gallery to one end with panelled timber front swept round at ends.
Reference: Notes on Local Chapels by W W Price in Aberdare Library.