The local English Baptist cause began in 1885 at 5 Twnan Terrace (now part of Pen y Bryn). In 1891 a corrugated iron roofed building from Penmaenmawr, costing £60, was erected on the site of what subsequently became M & K’s lock up garage and was known as the “Iron” or “Tin” chapel. The present chapel, costing £2,500, opened in 1906.
This fine church stands on the northern side of Abergele Road at its junction with Princess Road. There are a few very red churches and chapels in Colwyn Bay and this is one of these – red brick with narrow joints, red tiles, red ridge tiles and terracotta. Both the main elevations, to Abergele Road and Princess Road, have much of interest and time spent studying the building will be rewarded by an appreciation of its design and detailing.
The Princess Road elevation is the longer of the two main elevations. A schoolroom (?) at the rear has a gable facing the road within which are two simple mullioned and transomed windows separated by a buttress. The church itself consists of four bays, separated by buttresses, each with mullioned and transomed windows, with stained glass, under arched openings with hood moulds. The church and schoolroom (?) are separated by the rear side entrance off Princess Road.
The main entrance off Princess Road is close to the corner, marked by iron gates in the stone boundary wall. These gates lead to a pair of boarded doors with decorative strap hinges with glazed panels above in obscure glazing with narrow strips of coloured glass.
The tower and spire form a particularly pleasing and delightful feature linking both the front and side elevations. This is of brick with extensive use of terracotta – note the four spirelets on top of the tower. Note also the lovely stained glass window lighting the porch.
The gable facing Abergele Road has two windows with stained glass and leaded lights, elaborate terracotta tracery at upper level complimenting the simpler lower parts of the windows. The smooth faced red brick and terracotta compliment one another – note the use of terracotta to the gable coping, hood moulds, buttress tops, window cills and lintols as well as the window tracery. At the eastern, right hand side of the front elevation there is a door to the same design as that under the tower.
Foundation stones on the front elevation record the date they were laid, 14th June 1905, one or two of which are becoming somewhat eroded. One of these foundation stones was laid by the Revd. J. Raymond “Representing the Trustees of the Baptist Union Twentieth Century Fund”.
The boundary wall is of limestone to the plinth and coping, with polygonal granite in between. The church has survived remarkably unchanged externally, with the pleasing green paint perhaps being the original colour.