Building record WKB 106 - Congregationalist chapel

Chapel built in 1734 by the local congregation of Presbyterians; became Congregationalist in 1810. Red brick, with an admixture of blue bricks, laid in Flemish bond; slate roof, fully hipped; plain flat pilasters at the corners. The building has a characteristic facade in 2 storeys, with an upper row of 3 cross windows, and a similar slightly longer window in the centre of the ground floor: all these are late C19 replacements in the original openings, which have segmental arched heads in gauged brickwork (S1-2).

The chapel was licensed for baptisms from 1814, burials from 1821 and marriages from 1839. The last burial took place in 1898. The walls are of brickwork and the roof is hipped and slated. The west front of three bays has a brick plinth and corner pilasters. On the front elevation a Victorian wall hung lantern is in poor condition. Disabled access ramps lead to the double doorway of the 1980s porch and to what were the original door openings in the outer bays. They had segmental-arched heads (now rendered over) and fielded panelled doors: one window between and three above have 1970s cross-frames. A new brick course can be seen just below the roof line, rebuilt 1889, this enabled the addition of interior seating on the first floor. The north and south walls of two bays had two tiers of windows, but the north wall is partly covered by the schoolroom of 1815. The rear east wall has two round-arched windows with original frames, with diamond glazing remade in 1892. A small vestry projects on this side, on the roof is situated a flue stack this is for the oil heater situated in the Chapel. The car parking area to the front has space for ten vehicles. The front porch now obscures the original central ground floor central window and the two doorways. The doors have eight raised and fielded panels to the front and currently boarded to the inside. The doors have been re-hung, evidenced by the redundant band & hook hinges.
The interior is typical of a United Reformed chapel, with galleries on three sides to the first-floor level. The original west gallery is supported by two substantial wooden columns with moulded caps and bases and a moulded cornice. The original roof was replaced by a new raised structure of timber queen struts, side purlins and cast-iron ties. The roof was raised to accommodate head room for the two new galleries. On the front wall and to the right of the galleries is a long 18th century wooden peg rail, used by the men in the congregation to hang their hats.
The upper part of the gallery front was renewed with applied octagonal panels and two side galleries were installed in c.1814. In 1877 the original organ and some benches were installed. On the two side galleries are oil lamp holders made as a gift to the chapel in 1946. The chapel was much refined in 1886-9 with a rostrum pulpit, new seating with low open-backed children's benches (no longer in-situ). The benches were replaced in 1839, they are predominately made of pitch pine and have not been fixed in place. The pulpit is also made of pitch pine, placed centrally between the two long windows on the rear wall, it is panelled with a flight of steps to the left. A C19 vestry was added to rear left of the chapel where part of the stables once stood. The vestry has a plain corner fireplace with a small cupboard to the side. The walls have wooden butt and bead panelling to chest height and fixed benches.
Adjoining the chapel on the left side is a single-storey Sunday School building also constructed in red brick in English bond, with an admixture of blue bricks, laid in Flemish bond, built in c.1815. To the front elevation two cross windows; central doorway; door with two leaves, each four panelled with applied mouldings, and a rectangular fanlight with vertical glazing bar. The asbestos flue stack situated on the roof is no longer in use. There is a slate hipped roof, to the left side elevation there are three windows and a 1970s Crittal style window. An extension was built in 1975 to accommodate a meeting room plus male and female toilets (S3).