Rebuilding: Moor Lane United Free Methodist Chapel, Clitheroe

In connection with the enlargement and rebuilding of the United Methodist Chapel, Moor Lane, four memorial stones were laid yesterday afternoon. …. The old chapel, which has been partially taken down to make way for a more handsome and commodious structure was erected in 1836, the foundation some being laid by the Rev E. Whatmough, the resident minister. For many years the want of increased accommodation, especially in the Sunday school, has been seriously felt. The partial demolition of the old chapel which has done such good service for half a century, and the erection of more adequate premises has therefore been rendered absolutely necessary. The chapel now in course of erection will be almost entirely new; only a small portion of the side and back walls of the old building remain. The style of architecture adopted is Italian, well broken up, with projections. The front wall of the chapel will be built with tooled Yorkshire ashlar having a central porch 30 feet long by 23 feet high above the level of the street and projecting 8 feet from the main building. Access to the chapel is obtained by a doorway in the centre of this porch having a flight of steps 1o feet wide up to same. At each side of this porch the front entrance doors to the school have been placed, one side being for the boys and the other for girls and from which there is a stone staircase to the schoolroom underneath the chapel. The schoolroom is 52 feet by 47 feet and is provided at the Moot Lane end with two classrooms each 19 feet 6 inches by 12 feet, divided from the schoolroom by revolving shutters thus allowing the classrooms to be used for the school if required. As the space was insufficient for the accommodation required, a one storey building is being erected on the graveyard fiving four additional classrooms, three of which are 29 feet by 11 feet 6 inches and one 20 feet by 17 feet. These classrooms are divided by roller shutters so that the four rooms can, if required, be made into one lecture hall. The floors of schoolrooms and classrooms are to be paved with wood blocks as a preventative for noise. The two present classrooms at the back pf the chapel remain untouched. The area in the chapel is entered from the porch through spacious vestibules from which ascend the two flights of front stairs to the gallery. At the back of the rostrum is a large band-room and minister’s vestry with passages to two staircases whereby access is obtained to the gallery, school, or to the outside of the building thus giving four exits from the chapel and school. The gallery which runs round the building is semicircular at one end and is arranged so that the organ will be placed behind the rostrum. The whole of the internal woodwork will be of pitch-pine. The ceiling of the chapel is to be panelled and moulded, having groined and coved sides. The accommodation is for 800 persons. Messrs Butterworth and Duncan of Rochdale are the architects and the following, all of Clitheroe, are the contractors – Masonry, Mr Thomas Mitchell; joiners’ work Messrs A Veevers and Sons; plumbing and painting, Mr John Watson; slating and plastering, Messrs Ford Brothers. The cost will be about £3,000. [Preston Guardian - Saturday 24 April 1886 page 2]

The congregation of the United Free Methodist Chapel, Moor Lane, merged with Trinity Methodist Church on Parson Lane in 1962 at which time the United Free Methodist Chapel closed. It became a car showroom before its conversion into the Emporium coffee shop, wine bar and brasserie in 1998. Porch demolished ground floor much altered