Wesleyan Chapel, East Street Lindley
TO BUILDERS - PERSONS willing to TENDER for the whole or any part of the WORKS required in the ERECTION of a WESLEYAN CHAPEL, to be built at Lindley, near Huddersfield, may see the Plans and Specifications, at the Offices of Mr William Lloyd, Accountant, No. 4, Gladstone Chambers, 21, King-street, Huddersfield, between the hours of Nine a.m. and Six p.m., from Tuesday the 1st, until Tuesday the 8th day of May inclusive. Sealed Tenders to be delivered to Mr Lloyd, on or before Friday, the 11th day of May, not later than Five o'clock p.m. The Building Committee do not pledge themselves to accept the lowest or any Tender. No allowance for Estimates. Bills of Quantities can be obtained on application. By Order, GEORGE WOODHOUSE, Architect. Bolton-le-Moors, April 18th, 1866. [Huddersfield Chronicle 28 April 1866 page 4]
LlNDLEY - The memorial stone of a new Wesleyan Chapel at Lindley, near Huddersfield, was laid on Saturday last. It is to be built of stone in the Gothic style, and, with galleries, will accommodate 650 persons. Mr George Woodhouse, of Bolton, is the architect. The cost of the chapel will be £2,500. [Building News 11 January 1867 page 37]
NEW WESLEYAN METHODIST CHAPEL, LINDLEY. This chapel, which is now nearly completed, and which was recently opened, is situate within the Huddersfield (Queen-street) circuit of Wesleyan Methodists. It has been erected upon a plot of freehold land, vested in twelve trustees, adjoining the graveyard in which is situate the old chapel, built in the year 1795. The numerous interments made in former years in the vaults beneath the stone flooring of the old chapel, ought to have caused it to be closed long ago.
The new building is an immense improvement upon the old structure, both with regard to architectural features and the accommodation provided. It has been designed in the early Geometric style of Gothic architecture, by George Woodhouse, Esq., of Bolton. The principal facade faces East-street. It is set back some 30 feet. from the causeway. The approach is flagged with sawn flags. This front has two side and one central entrance-door openings, each having a flight of three steps to the threshold. The central opening is 10 feet high and 5 feet wide, having an outer equilateral arched, and an inner trefoil head, with sunk cusps. The jambs are formed of Ashlar face-quoins, and an arch of voussoirs; all moulded with large bead and hollows at the angles, with moulded stops. Deeply hollowed and moulded projecting label-moulds, with over relieving arch, are inserted above the head. The label-mould has carved corbel terminations. Right and left of the central opening, are the gallery entrance-doorways, each 7ft. 6in. high and 4ft. wide. The equilateral arched heads are tilled with a segmental trefoil head, moulded. All the openings are fitted with deal folding doors, hung with inner and outer ornamental bands.
The whole building has a bold and pleasing appearance. It is well proportioned, and is effectively brought out in detail. The ground floor storey has a frontage of 60 feet - the right gallery entrance being roofed in above the string course, and having a pointed gable and moulded cross at the apex, facing the east. To the left, with its west and south front, is the tower, 13 feet square on plan. Above the foundations of this tower, which have been sunk below the workings of an old quarry, is a bold base course, 2 feet 6 inches deep, the upper part of which is splayed and moulded. Dividing the first and second stages, is a plain boasted bond course; and above this again is a moulded and weathered string course. Above, and to each front, there is a two-light window, 8 feet high, to give light to the staircase below. Near the top two small trefoil windows light an upper chamber. The whole is crowned with a light ornamental cornice, on the four sides. The spire roof is formed of strong timber framing, cross-braced, and covered with boarding — on the top of which are laid, to a slight curve at the base, blue and green slates, in bands. Lead flashing finishes the apex, from which springs an ornamental wrought-iron finial, 7 feet high. Each outer wall is flanked by projecting buttresses, in two stages, with boasted ashlar offsets, and finished on the top with pointed gablets, moulded, sunk, and weathered.
Continuing the description of the front, we have on each side of the central entrance, single windows, with splayed sills, to give light to the vestibule. These have lancet arch heads, within which the sunk blank space is relieved by being formed into pointed trefoils, cusped. The principal decorative feature in the front is the large four-light window. It is 22 feet high and 11 feet wide. It has jambs of through ashlar unequal face quoins, and voussoirs, sunk and splayed. The base is blank, with splayed sill. A label mould, with carved corbels, and a relieving arch complete the outline structure of this window. Three chamfered mullions divide the opening, from the centre of which spring the half ribs of an equilateral arch, enclosing a sunk quatrefoil and two trefoil heads, cusped. Above is a large circle, enclosing a number of circles of lesser size. At the apex of the gable of this front there is a beautiful stone cross of large dimensions, having central circle, and pierced spandrels. The height from the ground line to the top of the cross is 57 feet. Chamfered and throated water-tabling finishes the gable. Beyond the projections for the staircases, the east and west fronts are alike in design. They are divided into five bays by buttresses, in two stages, with offsets. In these bays are the windows which light the ground floor and gallery of the chapel. Each window is 14 feet high, and 4 feet wide, divided by chamfered mullions and cross transom. The whole of these windows are alike in design. They have pointed trefoil heads and cusps. The head of the equilateral arch is filled with a quatrefoil, enclosed in a circle. The inside finishing of these windows is of plaster — splayed sides and bottom, with chamfered heads. The whole of the windows are glazed with selected rolled glass, in diamond quarries, with beautifully coloured borders, executed by Edmundson, of Manchester. The outer walls throughout are built of pitch-faced wall stones, from the Elland-edge quarries. The roof is a steep Gothic pitch, rising 30 feet high from the square. It is formed of five principals, framed rafters, collar, and cross braces, strapped and bolted together. The purlins are all dressed, and stop chamfered. The spars are dressed, and between them the roof is plastered with white plaster. The roofs are all boarded and covered with felt, on the top of which are laid the slates in blue and green bands. The ridge has an ornamental ridge cresting, set in cement.
We now come to describe the interior arrangements. Entering the chapel through the central entrance, there is a spacious vestibule, 25 feet by 8 feet 6 inches, divided into three spaces by partitions, having folding doors 5 feet wide. These doors are framed with segmental pointed arched heads, and are glazed with plate glass. These and all other inner entrance doors are hung with brass spring hinges, opening outwards, and fitted with twisted brass grip handles. From each inner vestibule are the entrance folding doors (similar in design) to each side aisle of the chapel. These extend from front to back, and are 3ft. 6in. wide. The pewing is fixed on a level floor, raised 4 inches. above the aisles. The central portion has 14 pews, each of which is sub-divided by a cross partition. On each side there are eleven pews in depth, parallel with the central pews. Near the pulpit on each side there are eight reversed pews. The framing for this pewing is all stop chamfered, with flush V jointed panels, and finished with moulded capping. The backs and seats are all fixed to slope. Each pew is provided with hat rails under the seat, and book boards, formed of shelf and rail, supported upon chamfered, cut, and divisional brackets. Solid 2 inch pitch pine ends, with semi-octagonal tops, chamfered, are fixed against each seat in the aisles. To these are hung the doors, the framing of which has circular and moulded stop chamfers. The hinges and buttons are ornamental, and are coated with Berlin black. Around the communion pew, the framing is two panels high, and tastefully varied in the chamfers. The wall is boarded 3 feet 6 inches high, with moulded top rails. The communion pew is raised two steps higher than the main flooring, and is fitted with wainscot oak handrail, moulded and ornamented with diamond sinkings. This rail and the pulpit stairs rail will be supported upon richly wrought iron standards, picked in colours and gilding. The pulpit, which is of pitch pine, has been made to the architect’s, design. It stands upon the floor of the communion pew, and is ascended by a double flight of steps, having carved newels and oak handrail. The plan of the pulpit is partly octagonal. Three of the fronts have equilateral shaped arches, boldly moulded, with bead and hollow, terminating upon a chamfered base. Each arch has chamfered cusps and pierced quatrefoil. These, and the corner panels, are backed with scarlet cloth. At each angle is fixed a turned and moulded column, having carved capitals and chamfered bases. The whole is crowned with a moulded cornice and book board. The lower part of the pulpit is panelled, and has a base mould and cornice. The gallery is framed up of solid timber built in the walls, and supported upon eleven cast-iron pillars, with octagonal bases and fancy capitals.
The gallery front is excellent in design, and is executed in pitch pine. It is two panels in height, with splayed and moulded cross rails. Each top panel has two four-centred pierced holes, and scalloped chamfers. A Gothic cornice mould and book board finish the top. The end of the gallery and front is octagonal. A neat clock, in oak case, has been presented and fixed by Mr. Alfred Smith, of Huddersfield. The gallery has two pews in depth. The scholars' gallery, which extends over the vestibule, is fitted with seats and back rails, fixed to iron standards. Wood staircases are fixed from ground floor to gallery, fitted with oak newels and handrail, and filled in with a gothic wood balustrade. On the landings are enclosed porches, with folding and glazed doors. At the back of the chapel is the ministers' vestry and lavatory, with side entrances. Underneath is the basement story, in which is fixed the heating apparatus, by Whitaker and Constantine, of Bolton. Over the vestry is the singing and organ gallery, with separate entrance. The old organ has for the present been fixed in the new building. Over the organ gallery is a bold, equilateral gothic arch, springing from stone carved corbels, and having angular mouldings worked in plaster. Over the scholars' gallery is an arch formed of timber, and finished in plaster, in a similar manner. Ventilation is provided in the centre of the roof by means of ornamental perforated boards. All the floors throughout are laid with boarding, and the walls are finished slightly rough in plaster. The chapel is artificially lighted by means of three coronas, suspended from the centre of the roof. There are also a number of gas brackets under the gallery. The interior woodwork is varnished.
The works were contracted for, and let in May, 1866. The foundation stone was laid in January, 1867. The following contractors have executed the several works: —Mason's work, Thomas and George Rhodes; joiner and carpenter's, Robert Whiteley; plasterer's, I. Jowitt ; plumber's, Henry Garton ; painter's, John Brook ; slater's, Goodwin and Sons; gas fittings, J. W. Dovery, Manchester. Accommodation is provided for 650, and the cost of the whole works, not including architect's commission, is expected to be about £3,600. The Chapel was opened for divine service on Wednesday, when sermons were preached by the Rev. Morton, of Leeds. [Huddersfield Chronicle 13 June 1868 page 6]
LINDLEY - The new Wesleyan chapel, which is now nearly completed, was recently opened. It has been designed in the Geometric style, by Mr. George Woodhouse, of Bolton. The principal facade faces East-street. It is set back some 30 feet from the causeway. The approach is flagged with sawn flags. This front has two side and one central entrance-door openings, each having a flight of three steps to the threshold. The ground-floor story has a frontage of 60 feet. To the left, with its west and south front, is the tower, 13 feet square on plan. Above the foundations of this tower, which have been sunk below the workings of an old quarry, is a base course, 2 feet. 6 in. deep, the upper part of which is splayed and moulded. The whole is crowned with a light ornamental cornice on the four sides. The principal decorative feature in the front is the large four-light window. It is 22 feet high and 11 feet wide. The whole of the windows are glazed with selected rolled glass, in diamond quarries, with coloured borders, executed by Messrs. Edmundson, of Manchester. The outer walls throughout are built of pitch faced wall-stones from the Elland-edge quarries. The roof is a steep Gothic pitch, rising 30 ft. high from the square. The roofs are all boarded and covered with felt, on the top of which are laid the slates, in blue and green bands. The ridge has an ornamental ridge-cresting, set in cement. The following contractors have executed the several works: Masons’ work, Messrs. Thos. & Geo. Rhodes; joiner and carpenters’, Robert Whiteley; plasterer’s, I. Jowitt; plumber’s, H. Garton; painter’s, John Brook; slaters’, Goodwin & Sons; gas fittings, J. W. Dovery, of Manchester. Accommodation is provided for 650, and the cost of the whole works, not including architect’s commission, is expected to be about £3,600. [Builder 4 July 1868 page 498]
Reference Huddersfield Chronicle 28 April 1866 page 4 - contracts
Reference Building News 11 January 1867 page 37
Reference Huddersfield Chronicle 13 June 1868 page 6 – opening
Reference Builder 4 July 1868 page 498
