"Sedate strolls along the shoreline being enveloped in natural beauty to vigorous watersports and opportunities for hiking and biking, the area is popular with tourists and holidaymakers and Salem The Blue Chapel has played host to many of them as a busy holiday let” Welsh Newspaper Editor Narin Flanders and Property Editor Joanne Ridout reveal.
Salem The Blue Chapel was not always a heavenly vacation getaway. It lived several lives before finally arriving at a luxurious coastal sanctuary, with dreamy interiors that take their cues from gothic architectural styles, incorporating elements of the Renaissance period that art historians and lovers of art or history would enjoy and undoubtedly characterise as delightful.
Steeped in history, this heavenly and characterful chapel was built in 1812 and rebuilt in 1869-71. It served as the Church of England School, Llwyngwril village's first educational establishment. In 1923, the building was renovated, transforming it into a hub for church functions, a role it maintained until the late 1990s. Remarkably, education was not free even as a church school and cost one penny per week as of 1870. It is rumoured that a time capsule was embedded within one of its walls during the renovation, holding whispers from the past. Fast-forward to today, it is now a gothic-Renaissance characterful living space with the most unusual blue façade, thanks to one man’s wild idea of making it his home years ago - local resident and late antique dealer, Roger Haynes. Narin and Joanne’s articles give us insight to paint a picture of the wonderful mind and extravagant world of Roger. Originally from Leek in Staffordshire, he was an antiques dealer with an eye for the rare, the beauty, the fabulous. Purchasing the chapel as just four walls and a roof, he envisioned a space that would pass for the film set or even a cathedral.
So, off Roger went to fulfil his wildest dreams. He set about restoring the chapel, led by his eclectic taste. Seeing this space as a fine opportunity to display his most beloved treasures. With a clear vision in mind, he sought after the very best in restoration. A fine team that included master Interior Designer Michael Hale (who specialised in recreating period features and also restoring damaged interiors), a crew of talented artists and painters (including Michael’s wife), and skilled tradesmen including John Saddington, who all collaborated together to bring Roger’s vision to life. John told prominent Welsh news website Wales Online in 2015 that “Roger was a lovely man and rather eccentric. When he bought the chapel, he had this amazing vision to recreate gothic revival splendour inside his home. It took more than three years to build and a huge amount of effort and skill. The only input Roger appeared to give was when he turned up one day with a set of organ pipes and asked Michael to incorporate them within the design. When people see the inside of the chapel, they cannot believe that it’s all fake. It has a huge amount of personality. It might all be fake inside, but the level of intricate detail achieved by Michael and the team is incredible. The wood panelling on the walls, the fireplace and the four-poster bed canopy is basically made from hardwood. Skilful joinery and paint-effects mean it is easy to mistake it for original if you don’t look closely. The ‘stone’ staircase, arch windows and carvings are made from fibrous plaster, and that also includes the finely detailed ceilings.”
Salute to the team of restorers and the skilled people and talent behind the scene for a job well done. To truly experience the grandeur of creativity, art, and design, visit Salem The Blue Chapel in-person, for a one-of-a-kind vacation rental experience. Offering the perfect blend of history, fantasy, comfort, convenience, luxury and the extraordinary.
