English Methodist Chapel, Y Fan, Llanidloes, Powys
The English Methodist Chapel at Y Fan was first built around 1850 and rebuilt in 1872. The later chapel was designed by George B Ford of Burslem and built by E H Williams of Llanbrynmair. It is built in the Lombardic style with a gable entry plan. The building has buff brick walls, with bands and lacing courses of red and vitreous bricks and a slate roof. The centre gabled porch has ashlar coping and kneelers, a round-headed doorway with red-brick voussoirs, and a drip and ashlar keystone. There is a plaque inscribed "1871" above the porch. The flanking round-arched sash windows have horns under the red-brick voussoirs and an ashlar key-block and dripstone. The rose window has 8 circlets and beneath is a stone plaque inscribed "Wesleyan". The flanking buttresses have two offsets. The right-hand wall also has buttresses with two offsets, plus four round-arched windows like those on the front. There is a low apsidal vestry, Sunday School and miners' library attached to the rear gable, that is stylistically similar to the chapel, with a hipped slate roof, buff brick walls and similar windows. All are enclosed from the road by a stone wall. [RCAHMW, May 2011]
OPENING OF A CHAPEL AT THE VAN - The opening of the new Wesleyan Chapel, near the Van Mine, was celebrated on Wednesday, July 3rd. The building is in the Gothic style, and the materials used are white and red bricks, relieved by bands of blue bricks. The internal dimensions of the chapel are 44 feet by 30 feet, and the height from floor to wall plate 18 feet, and from floor to ceiling 25 feet-the space between ceiling and roof forming a ventilating chamber. The interior of the chapel is fitted up with pews, with sloping backs, and of uniform width and appearance. The platform pulpit, of novel design, and greatly admired, is partly of open framing, and is surrounded by a communion railing on ornamental iron standards. At the end of the chapel a large room, uniform with the chapel, has been built, and furnished with cupboards, large table, and comfortable seats, for the purposes of a reading-room and library. The plans, etc., for the construction of the edifice were prepared by Mr G. B. Ford, of Burslem, and were satisfactorily carried out by Mr E. H. Williams, of Llanbrynmair. The total cost of the building, including the library room, fittings, books, etc., will be near £ 1,200. The greater portion of this sum has already been obtained through the exertions and liberality of Mr Williams, and the committee hope before long to pronounce the building free of debt. [The Cambrian News and Merioneth Journal 12 July 1872 page 2]
Reference The Cambrian News and Merioneth Journal 12 July 1872 page 2