Capel Peniel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Capel Peniel
The chapel in 2024 after restoration
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OS grid reference	SH562398
Location	Tremadog, Gwynedd
Country	Wales
Denomination	Presbyterian Church of Wales
History
Founded	1808–1809
Architecture
Functional status	Redundant
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	30 March 1951
Architectural type	Chapel
Style	Neoclassical

Capel Peniel is a special old building in Tremadog, Gwynedd, Wales. It was once a Calvinist Methodist chapel. It was built between 1808 and 1809. The final parts were finished in 1849.

This chapel is very important because it was one of the first in Wales built in a Neoclassical style. This style became very popular for other chapels across the country. Capel Peniel stopped being a chapel in 2010. It was then empty for a while and needed repairs. Luckily, it was restored in the 2020s. Now, it is a busy community hall. It is also a Grade I listed building, which means it is a very important historical building.

The Story of Capel Peniel

Capel Peniel was built with help from William Madocks. He was a businessman from London. Madocks bought land near Porthmadog in Gwynedd. He wanted to create new towns like Porthmadog and Tremadog. His goal was to make money from trade between London and Ireland.

Experts think the design of Capel Peniel was inspired by a church in London. This church was called St Paul's, Covent Garden. It was designed by Inigo Jones in 1639. The main part of Capel Peniel was finished by 1809. However, the front porch, called a portico, was not added until 1849. This was because there wasn't enough money at first.

The building was interesting to people even when it was new. Famous visitors like Richard Colt Hoare and Richard Fenton wrote about it. Building a Nonconformist chapel made the Anglican Bishop of Bangor upset. Madocks told him not to worry, saying "the church is built on rocks, the chapel is built on sand."

The chapel stopped holding services in 2010. This was because fewer people were attending. Also, it cost a lot to keep the building in good shape. It was then sold to a group called Addoldai Cymru. This group helps save old religious buildings in Wales.

Money for repairs came from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Work on the roof and portico was finished in 2020. A company called Donald Insall Associates did the restoration. They are experts in fixing old buildings. Today, Capel Peniel is a lively place for the community.

Design and Importance

John B. Hilling, an expert on Welsh buildings, said Capel Peniel was the start of a new style. This style became very common for chapels in Wales. Other experts, like Richard Haslam, think the building's design is simple. This might mean the person who designed it was not a trained architect. They probably used ideas from buildings or design books they had seen.

The front porch of the chapel has two columns. These columns are in the Tuscan style. They are not perfectly curved, which also suggests the designer was not a professional architect. However, people still admire the chapel's unique and charming look. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales believes that Welsh non-conformist chapels, like Peniel, are a "national architecture" for Wales. This means they are a very important part of the country's building history.

Capel Peniel is made of stone that was painted from the beginning. Its roof is made of Welsh slate. The front porch has a triangular top part called a pediment. In the middle of the pediment is a round window. Inside, many of the original features from the 1800s are still there. These include side balconies and special box pews with numbers. The pulpit, where the minister spoke, is in the center.

Anthony Jones, who wrote a book about Welsh chapels, said Capel Peniel's inside design became the standard. Chapels built after 1850 often had side balconies and a sloped floor. This gave everyone a better view of the minister. Capel Peniel is a Grade I listed building. This means it is one of the most important historic buildings in Wales.

Gallery

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  The chapel in 1986 when still in use

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  The chapel in 2011 when in disrepair

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  The interior in 2012, just after closure