Sardis United Reformed

The small United Reformed chapel at Sardis sits tucked away in the Powys countryside, a couple of miles from Crickhowell. It's one of those places that rewards a minor detour if you're already exploring the valley - a straightforward chapel that speaks to Mid Wales' Nonconformist heritage without any fuss or visitor infrastructure.

Inside, you'll find the usual simple earnestness of 19th-century chapel life: wooden pews, a modest pulpit, plain walls. There's nothing theatrical about it, and that's rather the point. These buildings mattered to the communities that built them, and Sardis carries that weight quietly. It's the kind of space where you can actually think.

Historically minded visitors will get something out of the architectural details - the way these chapels were designed to be functional rather than grand says plenty about the values of the people who worshipped here. Families with young kids might find it dull after ten minutes, unless they're into old buildings. Serious walkers using it as a stopping point between longer routes through the Black Mountains will appreciate the pause.

Access and opening hours aren't clearly advertised, so check locally before heading out - Crickhowell is minutes away if you need directions or refreshment. If you're based at Cwmdu Campsite or Pencelli Castle, both nearby, you could combine it with walks along the Usk Valley, which is where the real draw lies for most people.

Worth a look if you're genuinely interested in chapel culture. Otherwise, don't go out of your way.