Little Gem
Caroline Evans visits a riot of colour in Ceredigion
My first sight of the Grade II* listed Holy Trinity Church near Pontargothi was somewhat of a shock - how a church that looked as if it should be nestling on the lower slopes of a Swiss mountain be sited on the river plain of the Afon Tywi in West Wales.
Lucky enough to arrive in the middle of a big conservation/restoration project of the interior by CADW, they asked if we would like to come in and what we saw was mind-blowing. The whole of the interior is covered with paintings, murals rich with colour, movement and storytelling.
What I subsequently found out about the history of how this came to be was fascinating – Henry Bath and Co was founded about 1794 by a Cornish family of Quakers which migrated to Swansea and built up a major copper works and shipping enterprise. Henry James Bath [grandson of the original Henry] had bought over a thousand acres of land locally and built himself a mansion, calling it Alltyferin after the first 165 acres he purchased.
Demolished in the 1960s, nothing remains but the Holy Trinity Chapel survives. The story is that Henry and many of the estate staff spoke no Welsh, and although he and his wife endowed local churches, they couldn’t understand the services. Henry commissioned the building for anyone who wished to worship in the English language.
The Baths enlisted the services of renowned architect and artist, Benjamin Joseph Bucknall, to build a chapel to their specification. Beginning in 1865, the Chapel was not consecrated until 1878, due to the untimely death of Henry James Bath in 1875. The work was continued by his nephew, who also died before its completion, then completed, to the memory of the recently departed, by Mrs Bath.
Every visible surface contains painted decoration with biblical scenes by Arthur Stansell of Taunton, from the wall surfaces, arches and mouldings to the wooden barrel ceilings, with every element contributing to the decorative effect. It is a place of beauty, and an important example of nineteenth century church design. The colourful stained glass windows [Clayton and Bell] depict members of the Bath family.
Regular services are held and during the summer it opens for visitors on Thursdays from 2 to 4pm. Group visits can be arranged with tea and biscuits. . Contact Churchwarden Nelly Jones on 01267 290522 if you want to see inside.
Post code SA32 7PA
OS Grid Ref SN 5097 2260