Ebenezer Chapel. Permission visit Nov 2014

I have been trying to find a contact for this place for a long time (Being right next to a police station and on a main road its not a good idea to try and find a way in) Then the last couple of weeks I have noticed there was a light on in the old school hall which is part of it. So on Friday evening I knocked on the door to find I know the fella, he is a local artist/sculptor who has a garage up the road he works from. Anyway, with the help of others he is doing the place up so he can use it for his own work and it will made into a art centre.

the full name is "Ebenezer Welsh Independent Chapel" and was first built in 1896 with parts added on during the next 100 years. it closed its doors about 20 years ago but not before it was made a Grade II listed building 22nd May 1978.

I have not been in here before and did not expect it to be ornate in there, the floors were rotten in many places and parts of the celling is falling down so he warned me to take care. He is working on the schoolhouse part at first to make it safe and dry. He's already replaced all the broken windows and made the floor safe in there, once finished the chapel itself will be worked on. I will be going back now and again to take more photos and keep a eye on the progress and might even give a hand when needed.

Here's my full set
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cunningplan/sets/72157648781808029/











































The grills in the floor were the heating, you lifted the grill then a iron lid, lit the burner underneath and closed them down again.




Sorry there so many of the celling but I just loved it

Wow, stunning.

Your mate has some dodgy ideas though.

That is beautiful..you were lucky to see that.

Superb interior! and amazing condition, I do hope your friend is successful in his task.Cracking photos Tony.

That is absolutely stunning.

Such a lvoely place.. you're a lucky guy!

could echo what everyone said by stunning! hats off to you really beautiful mate job well done!

Really like the depth of the photos..lovely place too with the ceiling and the wooden interior

A nice bit of luck getting in here, what an stunning find. As for ceiling pics, the more the merrier.

OH MY! My jaw dropped. Look at that ceiling!! Fantastic photos and location. Just wow

Absolutely beautiful building, love the rear view mirrors byt he organ too!
Fantastic photography too, thanks for sharing!

......................................................................... I'm lost for words.

I'll go and pick my jaw up off the floor now.

Absolutely. Stunning. Thanks for sharing!

This looks amazing, very impressive. The organ and it's bold colours is what I like, then again the beautiful windows, gorgeous ceiling and those pews (sp?) I could go on!! But I won't! Thanks for letting us see it

Thanks everyone for the comments, I have been there a couple of times since and have been asked to take some photos they can put on display. this is the exterior



(Forgot to say, the lights are my two P7s on the inside as there is no power to the chapel part. next time we are going to light up the sides as well)

When I thought the going was good, I had a visit at the garage by the person using it, he said the owner (From Plymouth) was up and will be in another chapel he bought for a couple of hours later that day and asked if I wanted to join them. You never have to ask me twice, I locked up early and made my way there.
I met the owner and got shown around and was given limited time to take a couple of photos. I was already dark outside, all the windows are boarded up and it was pitch black in there. This was my last photo, taken f7.1, 100 iso, 30 sec and light painted with two P7s. He will be back in a few weeks on a weekend and asked me to go back and take some more.
Its not as ornate, but in better condition with some very nice calved woodwork.



(Unedited or cropped)

Neat job there, love the exterior with the lights.

Simply awesome! Well done for persevering to get in to be able to share it with us. Gotta be one of my all time faves.