Keith Brymer Jones, judge on The Great Pottery Throw Down, has announced plans to marry his partner Marj Hogarth in their Grade II-listed chapel home in Pwllheli after proposing to her during a performance in Cardiff. According to BBC News, the couple intend to hold their wedding in the main hall of Capel Salem in May 2027.
Jones, who has Welsh ancestry through his parents' connections to Swansea and Cardiff, said he deliberately chose to propose "on Welsh soil" during their show at the New Theatre in Cardiff. The ceramicist and Hogarth, an actor, have been transforming the 163-year-old chapel into their permanent home since purchasing it in September 2022 for £200,000, according to BBC reporting, after the building had remained on the market for 12 years.
The couple's renovation project has become the subject of a Channel 4 series, Our Welsh Chapel Dream, which reached its third series in April 2026. The 8,500 square foot building, located on the Llŷn Peninsula with views overlooking Eryri and Yr Wyddfa, combines their residential space with a pottery studio and community facilities.
Jones explained that Wales held deep personal significance for him, having inspired his passion for ceramics from childhood. He recalled driving down Welsh country lanes in search of pottery when growing up, and described the move as a return to his "roots". He discovered Capel Salem while searching online and he and Hogarth visited the following day, where they "fell in love with the place" immediately.
Why restore a derelict chapel?
Jones has become an advocate for repurposing Wales's many abandoned chapels, arguing that these buildings deserve "a new lease of life" rather than remaining derelict. The couple's conversion received planning and listed-building consent for residential use alongside the pottery studio and multi-use exhibition and community space, transforming a building that had stood vacant for more than a decade.
The renovation has presented significant challenges. Jones has disclosed that extensive dry rot damage required clearing approximately 53 skips of material from the structure. Despite these obstacles, the couple remain committed to their vision for the site.
What progress has been made?
The couple are approximately halfway through their renovation work. They have repurposed the adjoining Sunday school room as a pottery studio and are currently addressing the main chapel's roof to prepare it for operation as a multi-purpose exhibition and performance space by next year. The third series of their renovation documentary revealed the conversion of two previously hidden storerooms into a self-contained guest suite with its own entrance and courtyard.
Hogarth has contributed creative solutions to the project, including crafting two 7.5-metre canvas sails from 30 metres of fabric to provide privacy within the courtyard space. The couple have been living at Capel Salem for approximately 18 months and describe the local community in Pwllheli as "absolutely amazing".
What are their future plans?
Beyond their May 2027 wedding, Jones and Hogarth intend to recruit local apprentices to work in their pottery studio, aiming to boost the local economy while completing their renovation. They have described Capel Salem as their "forever home" and are determined to establish it as a vibrant cultural and creative hub within the north Wales community.
