Keith Brymer Jones, a judge on The Great Pottery Throw Down, has announced his engagement to actor Marj Hogarth following a proposal made during a performance at the New Theatre in Cardiff. Jones stated he deliberately proposed to Hogarth “on Welsh soil” while the couple was on tour, and the pair plan to hold their wedding ceremony in the main hall of their chapel home sometime in May.
Jones and Hogarth purchased Capel Salem, a 163-year-old Grade II-listed chapel located on the Llŷn Peninsula in Pwllheli, in 2022. The couple discovered the 8,500 square-foot building while searching online and visited the following day, after which they decided to purchase it as their permanent residence. They have been living at the property for approximately a year and a half and describe it as their “forever home” situated in a “magical place” on the north Wales coast.
The renovation project has involved converting portions of the chapel into residential and creative spaces, including transforming the former Sunday school room into a pottery studio. Jones indicated the couple is approximately halfway through their overall renovation efforts and aims to establish the main chapel as a multi-purpose exhibition and performance space by 2027. The couple has also expressed intentions to hire local apprentices as part of their efforts to contribute to the regional economy.
Jones has previously discussed his connection to Wales, noting that his parents originated from Swansea and Cardiff and that the country inspired his interest in ceramics. He has also advocated for repurposing derelict chapels throughout Wales, describing such efforts as giving “them a new lease of life.” The renovation project at Capel Salem is being documented for broadcast on the Channel 4 program Our Welsh Chapel Dream.
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