Chapel Specifications From My Tribute to the Rhondda Valleys

The architect Arthur 0. Evans, of Pontypridd, drew up the plans for a new Baptist Chapel, c.1905, and wrote out the specification for the contractors. His preparation gives an insight into how a chapel architect would define his design for a new temple, carefully denoting everything from the kind of slate (‘best North Wales slates from a quarry to be approved by the Architect’) to the number of nails to be used to secure the floorboards (‘two’), and the choice of a ‘wrought iron gothic latch’. There follows a verbatim transcript of his handwritten instructions.

Specification of the several works to be done in the erecting of a Chapel at Hafod, Pontypridd, for the English Baptist Denomination, according to plans and specification prepared by Arthur 0. Evans, Architect, Pontypridd.

The Contractor must visit the site and satisfy himself that all levels are correct.

The ground line in front elevation indicates the finished level of the centre of the road from which all levels must be taken.

At Completion the Contractor is to clean down all the premises and scrub the floors.

The Contractor is to provide in his estimate the sum of twenty pounds for contingencies to be spent as the Architect may direct which amount or any portion of it, if not spent is to be deducted from any monies due, or that may become due to the Contractor.

If called upon the Contractor must find two sureties for the due and perfect completion of the work. The Contractor must sign the form of Contract provided by the Architect.

Excavation and Drains

The Contractor is to excavate for foundation for drain trenches, under wood floors for tank, to levels and widths shown and is to remove all earth from the site and deposit it on a site pointed out to him by the Architect. The Contractor is to well ram in the earth round the foundations and drain pipes when laid.

Drains:-

The Contractor is to open up Ground insert pinches in main drain and make good to the satisfaction of the surveyor of the Estate. Provide and lay 4 in and 6 inch glazed earthenware drainpipes with socketted cemented joints where shown on block plan, the drains to be laid to regular fall and provided with all necessary bends and junctions.

Gullies:-

Provide & fix in Urinal a Ducketts gully with glazed earthenware dishing and 7 in. hinged grating. Construct chamber where shown of 4 in brickwork with cement floor and cover with cast iron ventilator grating. Provide & fix in Urinal 4 in glazed gutter brick laid in cement.

Disconnector (NB):-

Provide & fix where directed a disconnector trap 30 shillings. No drains are to be covered over until they have been inspected and approved by the Architect.

Mason and Bricklayer

Stone:-

All stone to be native blue Pennant from a quarry approved by the Architect. All stone to be of regular colour and fixed on its natural face.

Bricks:-

All brick used in the dressings to be best pressed Cattybrook. All rough brick to be good hard well burnt brick.

Mortar:-

All mortar to be mill made, composed of one part Aberthaw brown lime to two parts of clean washed river sand or furnace ashes.

Concrete:-

All concrete to be composed of one part of Aberthaw lime, one of sand or Ashes, and three of broken stone to 3 in gauge.

Walling:-

All walling with the exception of the front to street to be good rubble walling well laid in mortar and packed in centre with at least two through stones to each yard super of walling. All exposed faces and both sides of boundary wall to be neatly pointed as the works proceeds.

Polled work:-

The whole of the front to be faced with paving. Cuttings in regular courses neatly bunker dressed square and true. the joints to be neatly rubbed with a jointer, no stone to be less than 1~/4 in thick or more than 3’/2 in. All paving cuttings must be from the same quarry.

Coping:-

The boundary wall coping is to be 18 in native stone set in mortar and roughly rounded. The boundary wall to be 6 ft 6 in high above ground and as shown on block plan.

Boundary wall:-

The front boundary wall to Chapel to be 3 ft 0 in high above ground and to be polled face on one side to be coped with 20 in x 24 in. chisel dressed coping drilled for railings. Provide the sum of seventeen pounds for gates and railings.

Pillars:-

The four pillars to be 18 in square of best pressed brickwork, neatly pointed, fix on each a terra cotta cap, 15s 4d.

Angles:-

Jambs:-

All doors and windows to be revealed for frames, all window jambs to be splayed.

Brickwork:-

All brickwork in front to be tuck pointed, all other outside brickwork to be neatly flat pointed. The bricks to be cut and rubbed to door and window Arches. The moulded bricks in window labels to be neatly cut rubbed and mitred at inter-sections, moulded terra cotta stops to be provided to label courses. The upper courses of bricks in plinth to be chamfered. Bricks in arches to be cut & rubbed, properly radialed & neatly pointed. The cornice caps & pediment to be formed by projecting courses of square brick. The upper course in each case to be laid in cement. All quoins except front to project ľ in from face of work.

Chimneys:-

The chimneys to be best pressed Cattybrook flat pointed with plain oversailing courses all laid in cement and to have fixed on top two red dwarf Chimney pots.

WC & Urinal:-

To be built of 4’/2 in B.P. Brickwork Cattybrook neatly laid flat pointed the four upper courses f urinal to be laid in cement.

Mullions:-

The brick mullions in windows to be carefully tied in every course, & carefully built.

Arches:-

Brick relieving arches are to be turned over all openings. The 9 in brick wall to be very carefully and truly built, the exposed portion above vestry roofs to be prepared for cementing.

Fireplaces:-

Build fireplaces where shown with 9 in brick Arches over each 3ft 0in from floors level. 2in Chisel dressed hearth stones, and construct 9 in x 9 in flue properly pargetted, provide the sum of Ł2 lOd Os for two grates & mantles which the contractor must fix finding all materials.

Ventilators:-

Provide & fix in walls eight 9 in x 9 in wrought iron gratings and form 9in x 9in Channels to ventilate under floors. Construct eight 12 in x 12 in Channels through walls & 9in x 12in vertical ventflues on them to 6 ft 0 in above floor. Provide & fit 12in x 12in wrought iron gratings outside and inlet hoppers 7s 6d inside.

Paving, Steps & Sills

Paving:-

Pave the Urinal, WC and form front gate to entrance steps, with 2in paving dressed 1in in and laid in mortar on 4 in of hard dry material that in Urinal to be laid to fall to gutter.

Steps:-

The front entrance steps to be 16 in x 7 in Chisel dressed all other door steps to be 12in x 4in dressed on edge.

Sills:-

All sills to be of Forest stone weathered with stoalings left on & Chisel dressed lOin x 11in. Damp Course: Lay under whole surface of walls below wall plate, damp Course 3/4in thick of sand pitch and tar.

Tiles:-

Provide & fit in lobby on 6 in of Concrete tiles 4s 3d per yard super, tile to be truly laid in cement.

Slate Slabs:-

Provide & fit against walls & for divisions planed slate slabs 1/4in thick with rounded edges and securely fixed to wall by iron clamps & pointed with cement.

Carpenter & Joiner

All timber to be sound and free from sap, large loose or dead knots or shakes, and to hold the size specified when fixed, no joists or rafter to be fixed more than 15in centre to centre. All wall plates to be bedded in mortar.

All joiners work to be best quality Red Baltic.

All Carpenters work to be of best white deal.

The exposed roof timbers to be of best red as above or best Pitch Pine and wrought. Provide and fix over all openings lintels 1 in thick for every foot of opening but in no case less than 3in.

Roof:-

This roof to be formed with three frame collar bearing King post principals formed with 11in x 4in blades & collar 9 in x 3 in King post and 4’/2 in x 3 in strutts framed & bolted together & provided with 2 in x ¹h in wrought iron straps and ‘/s in bolts as shown in sketches.

The principals to rest on template 1ft 6in x 11in x 3in fix to each shaped curbed rebs 3in thick with 31/2 in mould mitred all round, the exposed part of principals to be wrought stop chamfered. Purlins 5in x 7in wall plates and 4in x 3in ridge 9in x 1/2in Common rafters ceiling joists 3in x 2in projecting 9in over wall, barge boards 11in x 2in stop Ch’d with 3in band mould under slates & wrought shaped end.

Vestry roof:-

To have three half principals with blades 9 in, part wrought and chamf’d, purlins 5ft 2in x 4ft 2n common rafters, ceiling joists and wall plates 3in x 2in, faced 7in x 1in beaded, barge boards 9in x 1 1/2 in chamfered with shaped ends & 2/2 in band mould under plates. WC Common rafters ceiling joists & wall plates 3in x 2in eaves 7in x 1in beaded barge boards 7in x l/2in Chamf’d. Trim rafters to chimney. Trim rafters over vestry and in two places in school for manhole 2 ft 0in x 2 ft 0in case with 4 in rebated & beaded casing with 2’/2in band mould all round and fit into manhole 3/4 in boarding cut fretwork to detail to be supplied.

Ventilators:-

Provide over chapel manholes two zinc tubes tapering to 12in to fit into 12in roof ventilator Ł3 Od Os each which the contractor is to provide & fix over the manholes, provide & fix in tube adix valve on pivots with seating, & cords pullies & cleats to open & shut same.

Wallplates:-

Fix along junction of wall & ceiling in schoolroom 4 in x 4’/2 in in moulded plate.

Floors:-

All wallplates to be 3 in x 2 in, joints 7 in x 12 in & lay on best spruce flooring 7in x 1in closely laid, nailed with two nails to each joist with splayed headings, no two joints to come together to be mitred to hearth. The floor of the Deacons pew to be 15 in above rest of floor with two steps 7 risers formed each side.

Doors and Entrance:-

Provide & fix 5’/2 in x 4 in rebated & beaded frame heads transome & hang in same with two pairs 5 in butts 2’/2 in framed panelled moulded folding doors & provide with wrought iron gothic latch, strong 9 in oak cased lock, monkey tail bolt & 12in barrel bolt.

The two openings to lobby & four doors to vestry to have 4 1/2in x 3’/2in rebated & stop chamfered frames & heads & hang in these six openings with 3in butts, 2in framed six panelled double moulded doors each have a strong 6 in mortice lock and heavy brass furniture. The two external doors to lobbies to have two 9 in barrel bolts each. The WC urinal & boundary wall door openings to have 4 in x 3 in rebated & beaded frames & hang in same with 3in butts 1/2in framed ledged beaded doors with strong brass furniture. The two external doors to lobbies to have transomes & 2 in rebated and moulded fixed sashes 1—6in high. Provide & fix round all doors where frame or casing is flush with plaster. 4in moulded architrave finishing on 4 in blocks.

Windows:-

Provide & fix to all window openings 4in x 3in rebated & headed frames, 4in x 2in mullions and transoms. Circular framed heads & 4 in x 3’/2 in sunk and weathered & fix in same 1 ‘/2in rebated moulded sashes with glazing bars as shown 1 in round nosed window boards with return ends & 1 in scotia under to be fixed to all windows, these to be fixed level. Provide for hanging two panels or panes in each window with 3in butts & provide & fix opener with cords 6s 6d each.

Chair rail — dado:-

Provide & fix round rooms where shown 4 in x 2’/2in. Chair rail securely plugged to wall as a capping and 3/4 in V-jointed 4in matchboard dado round chapel vestries & lobby.

Skirting:-

Provide & Securely plug to all walls 12 in chamfered skirting mitred to all angles WC skirting board to be 7in.

Quoin beads:-

Pulpit:-

Tank:-

The tank to be built of 9 in brickwork laid in white Hygenic cement on 6in of concrete.

Provide & fix in floor a 5in x 4in rebated framed ledged cover in three pieces with rebated points each piece to have two sunk iron rings.

A moveable flight of steps to be provided from floor level to bottom of tank with 3’/2in x 3’h in square chamfered newel 10 in x 11/2 in strings and 8 in x 2 in treads housed into the strings.

Plumber and Ironfounder

Eaves:-

Provide to all eaves 4 in half round cast-iron gutter with cast iron stop ends outlets and angles, to be well secured to common rafters by strong wrought iron straps two to each length & secured with red lead, nuts & bolts.

Downpipes:-

Provide & fix the following stack of 3 in round cast iron down pipe securely fixed by two wrought iron hoops to each lengths, & provided with cast iron heads, shoes and plinth bends. Two stacks each side of main roof and one from WC.

Lead:-

All lead used to be 6lbs to the foot super, no solder joints will be allowed. Wherever slates abut against walling or brickwork zinc soakers turned up 2 in against wall & lead flashings built into wall 2in turned down 4in (and on slates where it is an apron 6in) are to be provided, flashings to be pointed with cement.

Water:-

Arrange with Water Coy. pay all fees & lay on 3/4 in heavy lead service pipe with 1/2in branches to Baptistry.

WC tank, Urinal, and to corner of vestry with a 1/2in brass screw down draw off cock is to be provided.

Tank:-

Provide & fix in floor 3 in brass seating & plug with chain securely bedded in the brickwork.

Stop Cock:-

Provide & fix under street paving a full way brass stop cock & provide & fix cast iron cover box to same.

WC:-

Provide & fix a wash down combination pan seat cast iron seat brackets 2 Gallon flushing tank 1in lead flashing pipe chain & pull to satisfaction of Architect.

Ventpipe:-

Provide & fix 4: Cast iron vent pipe jointed with lead carried 3 ft 0 in above eaves & to have patent exhaust cowl.

Gas:-

Pay Gas Company for laying in service, provide & fix through building compo. service piping where directed & provide & fix fixtures for service & fixtures, the sum of ten pounds is to be provided.

Cover all roofs with best North Wales slate 24in x 12in from a quarry to be approved by the Architect, to be nailed with 2 in compo nails, two to each slate to 3’/2in lap to 2in x 1in battens to be double to all eaves & carefully cut to valleys.

Ridge:-

Plasterer

Putty to be of white lime run at least 5 weeks before being used, a proper proportion of hair to be mixed with the mortar. All walls unless otherwise described to be rendered floated & then set with lime stucco of Nantes sand to perfectly true surface. All ceilings to be lathed and plastered two coats. Walls of WC to be plastered two coats.

Cement two coats, one Portland cement to 3 of Nantes sand, exposed portion of 9in brick wall in back.

Painter &Glazier:-

Stain & Varnish:

The exposed roof timbers, moulded wall plates window boards, manholes & chair rail & dado to be sized, stained & varnished two coats with best Copal Varnish.

Paint:-

All other woodwork usually painted to be knotted & primed and then receive three coats oil paint the finishing tint to be selected by the Architect. All outside wood to be varnished.

Glazing:-

All windows & fanlights to be glazed with Harkleys ‘k in rolled glass, well puttied.

Arthur 0. Evans, Architect

[Whilst the Chapel specifications relate to a Chapel that is outside the Rhondda, I feel that it is close enough to give an insight into what was involved in the multitude of Rhondda Chapels]