Porthmadog, Gwynedd

Porthmadog on Wikipedia.

The former Capel Berea (Scotch Baptist, 1853) on Terrace Road, now a private residence, though it previously belonged to the W.I. Another view, and the date-stone. SH 568 385. All © Howard Richter (2013).

The site of the demolished Capel Coffa Emrys (Independent, 1879) on High Street. A handsome building, it was also known as the Ambrose Memorial Chapel, after minister and poet William Ambrose. It stood a little further back from the road than today's building does. The street name has also changed, having been originally Avenue Road, and later Station Road. SH 567 389. © Howard Richter (2013). Photos of the church are available here - 1, 2, 3,, and its demolition - 1, 2, both unfortunately un-dated, though one says "mid 80's".

The site of Capel Ebeneser (Wesleyan Methodist) on Wesley Street, and now occupied by a public library. The gable-end faced the street, and the building sat further back from the road. The date of building is uncertain, but must be before 1889, when it shows on the OS map of that year. The congregation moved into the adjacent Sunday School (which stood at the rear of the chapel) in 1985, with demolition of the chapel following no later than 1988, the date recorded on the present library building. A plan shows the position of the Sunday School, when in use as the chapel, here. Another view. SH 5684 3885. Both © Howard Richter (2014). Link (with photos). Photo of the original chapel from "Hanes Porthmadog", 1913, in Howard Richter's Collection.

Capel Y Porth (Presbyterian Church of Wales), built on the site of Tabernacl (see below), and opened in 2001. A link (no longer working) mentioned other chapels absorbed at some point - the nearby English Presbyterian (on or before 1990, when it was demolished), Nazareth in Morfa Bychan in 1998, Ebenezer in Borth-y-Gest in 2009 and Capel Minfford (see Minffordd on the Gwynedd page), also in 2009.

The former Y Garth Chapel. © Stuart Mackrell. Three more views of the very imposing former Capel Garth (Calvinistic Methodist, 1898) on Bank Place - 1, 2, 3. Closed in 1999, it has been the subject of various and prolonged planning applications (see for instance here and here). For sale again in 2015, the sale notice includes photos of the interior. Fresh permissions having been granted, plans are established to convert the building into nine "residential units", or flats, as most of us would call them. SH 568 386. © Howard Richter (2014). Grade II listed.

Unrecognisable as a former chapel, the old Capel Garth on Garth Road (Calvinistic Methodist, so presumably the predecessor to the chapel in the previous entry) has been converted into flats. Built before 1889, when the OS map of that year shows it as Garth Chapel (Calv. Meth). On the 1900 edition it is un-named, and presumably no longer in use. However, the 1917 map has it as Chap. again, though who had it at that time is currently not known, and it doesn't appear marked as a chapel on any subsequent maps. Another view. SH 568 387. Both © Howard Richter (2014).

The site of an English Presbyterian Church, which once stood on the corner of High Street and Glaslyn Street. The site is now occupied by housing. It appears (from old maps) to have been built between 1889 and 1901. The evidence here implies construction in about 1894, with closure about 1990 and demolition a year later. Another view. SH 567 391. Both © Howard Richter (2013). Photos of the church and its demolition here - 1, 2, 3.

Yet another vanished chapel stood at SH 569 385 where there is now a car park. This was the English Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, built before 1889, and seems to have been demolished in the mid to late 1960's. There is a distant view of it here, above the bottom left corner, gable-end to the road, with a small porch and a tiny spire above the gable.

Standing very close to Y Garth (see above) stands Fellowship House on Lombard Street. Visible on the door is a message directing interested parties to Capel Fron in Penrhyndeudraeth. Although its current usage is uncertain, in 1986 it was in use by an Evangelical congregation. SH 5680 3855. © Howard Richter (2014). Grade II listed.

Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses stands on the site of the demolished Coliseum Cinema on Glaslyn Street at SH 5672 3900. Another view. On-line evidence points to it having been built between July 1911 and May 2014. Both © Howard Richter (2019).

The former Particular Baptist Chapel on Chapel Street. Another view. Building and closure dates are presently uncertain, though it was built prior to the composition of the 1889 OS map. SH 568 388. Both © Howard Richter (2014).

St. John. SH 565 387. © Dave Westrap. Link.

Salem Chapel. © Stuart Mackrell.

Tabernacl (Calvinistic Methodist, 1862) was an outgrowth from Y Garth (see above). At some point the chapel was extended forward - compare with the photo here, which Howard dates to no earlier than the 1973 (based on the date of introduction of yellow number plates). The congregation merged with that of Y Garth in 1996, and Capel Y Porth (see above) built to replace Tabernacl, opening in 2001. Tabernacl was demolished soon after. SH 569 389. The photo is from "Hanes Porthmadog", 1913, in Howard Richter's Collection. The chapel undergoing demolition - 1, 2.

The Most Holy Redeemer (R.C., 1933). SH 567 385. From an old postcard in Geoff Watts Collection. A modern view. © Stuart Mackrell. Grade II listed.

The former Zion Baptist Chapel (1867), off High Street at SH 565 393. The closure date is uncertain, but before 2012 when it was for sale. However it was evidently still unsold in 2014 when Howard visited the town again, as some of the windows were boarded up, with some broken windows apparent, but neither were there any sale notices visible. Two further views - 1, 2. All © Howard Richter (2013).