Van Road Congregational Church

Heritage listing

Reason for designation: Listed as an original Arts and Crafts Gothic chapel by leading chapel architect and writer on chapel design. History: By W Beddoe Rees of Cardiff, at a cost of 2,750. The foundation stones were laid on 23rd November 1903, and the church was opened in August 1904. It was designed to seat 518 and the first minister was the Rev. Edward Bush. A group of English speaking Congregationalists had broken away from their Welsh speaking counterparts in March 1896. They established a church in 1898 and worship took place at the Board School, Tonyfelin Road, until the present site was secured. Exterior: Large chapel in Free Gothic style. Rock-faced Newbridge sandstone with extensive Bathstone dressings, banding, quoins. Basement with vestries, rooms etc. Gabled entrance has steep steps up to central doorway; square gatepiers with capstones, iron gates and railings. Five-light Decorated window with flowing tracery, doorway (elaborate hinges to doors) in band of Gothic-arched cusped panelling (some pierced as windows), below this, a row of foundation stones; to L, polygonal Bathstone turret buttress. To R, tapering square-plan tower with clasping buttresses, castellated parapet and pyramidal spire; broad 5-light windows to bell stage; windows with 3 cusped lights to lower stage; at ground level, camber-headed doorway, door with elaborate strap hinges. To L of front, stair tower with splayed corners, band of windows, castellated parapet, hipped roof. Five bay side elevations with windows separated by shallow buttresses. Two-light Gothic windows at chapel level, 2-light square-headed windows at basement level, doorway with overlight. To rear (cement rendered), shallow projection to organ recess. Interior: Lobby has decorated wood panelled and stained glass screen

From Cadw under OGL v3.