Bethel Welsh Calvinistic Chapel, Mold Road, Buckley

Bethel Methodist Chapel was first built in 1812, modified in 1835 and 1866 and then rebuilt in 1878. The present chapel, dated 1878, is built in the Lombardic/Italian and Sub-Classical style of the gable entry type, to the design of architect Richard Owen of Liverpool. A schoolroom was added in 1878 and a chapel house in 1900.

TO BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS. CALVINIISTIC METHODIST NEW CHAPEL, AT BUCKLEY, NEAR CHESTER.  The Committee are prepared to receive Tenders for the above. Plans and Specifications may be seen on and after the28th instant at Messrs R and P. Williams', grocers, Bistree, Buckley. Sealed Tenders, endorsed "Tender for New Chapel," to be sent to Mr John Griffiths, Mill-street, Buckley, near Chester, not later than the 13th of April next. They do not bind themselves to accept the lowest or any Tender. RICHARD OWENS, Architect. Breck-road, Liverpool. [Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser 30 March 1878 page 4] . [Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser 13 April 1878 page 4]

BUCKLEY - The foundation-stone of a new Welsh Calvinistic Methodist chapel at Buckley has been laid. The new building will be situate on the road leading from Mold to Buckley, and will be Romanesque in style, carried out in red brick with Ruabon dressed stone facings. Sitting room will be provided for 260 persons. The architect is Mr. Richard Owen, Liverpool, and the contract has been let to Mr. John Williams, of Buckley, for £1,025. [Builder 27 July 1878 page 790]

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF A NEW WELSH CHAPEL. On Monday, the memorial stone of a new Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel was laid at Buckley by Mr Thomas Peters, Celyn.  …. When the resolution was arrived at to build the new chapel, the services of Mr Richard Owen, of Breck-road, Liverpool, were secured as architect, and after some consultation, the building, of which the following is a general description, was agreed upon. The edifice is situated on the south side of the road leading through Buckley from Mold to Chester, and on the site, or to speak more correctly, partially on the site of the old chapel, part of which is utilised as a school room. The side of the old building was to the road, and the entrance was at the side, the pulpit being to the left and the seats or pews on a kind of raised gallery to the right, the centre being occupied by a number of benches. The end of the new chapel will be to the road, whereat will be placed the entrance, and the pulpit placed at the south end, opposite to the entrance. The style adopted is the Romanesque, carried out with Ruabon red pressed brick and Cefn dressed stone. The plan is a parallelogram, the inside measurement of which will be 45 feet by 33. Behind the chapel and attached to it, being a part of the old building, there will be a school- room, 37 feet long by 12 feet wide, and the accommodation provided in the chapel is for 250 persons. The pews will be open and made of pitch pine, and on the most approved principle. The deacon's pew and pulpit will be of elaborately wrought and carved pitch pine, and the ceilings also will be of the same material, panelled and sur- rounded with a bold cornice, while all the internal woodwork will be worked clean and varnished. The principal entrance will be from a porch in front, laid with encaustic tiles, and fitted with double vestibule doors. The side elevations are plain brickwork, the front only of pressed Ruabon brick, and the front will have a central feature, with two linings and a gabled porch, the dressings of all being of Cefn freestone. Surrounding the whole buildings there will be a wall with stone coping and iron railings. Such is a brief description of the pro- posed chapel, the contract for which has been let to Mr John Williams, builder, Buckley, the builder of the Board Schools, the Primitive Methodist Chapel, and other buildings, the sum being £ 1,025.  [Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire… 22nd June 1878 p.6]