Wesleyan Methodist Church and School, Old Colwyn

COLWYN BAY - Plans for the proposed first portion of a new Wesleyan Methodist Church and Schools. Old Colwyn, have been passed by the trustees. and the estimate of Mr. J. O. Davies, Colwyn Bay, has been accepted. The design shows a large school- church with two transepts and chancel, vestries. etc. Local stone will be used for the walls, which will be finished in roughly- squared stones. the roof will be entirely open, with pitch-pine roof-trusses and green Welsh slates will be used for the roof covering. A quaint timber porch will be placed at the public entrance. This school-church will work out at an exceedingly low cost per sitting, and is the beginning of a much larger scheme, the designs for which have been sketched out, and which will comprise a large church of local stone, with bell tower, etc. The architects are Messrs. J. M. Porter and Elcock, the Estate Office, Colwyn Bay. [Building News 22 January 1909 Page 136]

WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH AND SCHOOLS, OLD COLWYN - Plans for the proposed first portion of this work have been passed by the trustees, and the estimate of Mr. J. O. Davies, Colwyn Bay, has been accepted. The design shows a large school-church, with two transepts vestries, etc. Local stone will be used for the walls, which will be finished in roughly-squared stones, the roof will be entirely open, with pitch-pine roof trusses and green Welsh slates will be used for the roof covering. A quaint timber porch will be placed at the public entrance. This school-church will work out at an exceedingly low cost per sitting, and is the beginning of a much larger scheme, the designs for which have been sketched out, and which will comprise a large church of local stone, with bell-tower, etc. The architects for the work Messrs. J. M. Porter & Elcock, the Estate Office, Colwyn Bay. [Builder v96 23 January 1909 page 99]

THE WESLEYAN CAUSE AT OLD COLWYN. LAYING OF FOUNDATION STONES. Despite the heavy rain that prevailed yesterday afternoon, there was a fairly large gathering at the foundation stone laying in connection with the English Wesleyan cause at Old Colwyn. … The church when completed will be a stone building, consisting of one large hall, with a convenient transept that can he converted into two classrooms with the aid of a sliding partition There will be one large vestry, a minister's vestry and the usual offices. The work, it is expected, will be completed by August 1st, when the opening will take place. The builders are Messrs Tucker and Son of Colwyn Bay. [Welsh Coast Pioneer 25 March 1909 page 10

OPENING OF THE HANDSOME NEW SCHOOL- CHAPEL - Yesterday (Wednesday), in pleasant summer weather, the pretty new school-chapel. of the English Wesleyan Connexion at Old Colwyn was formally opened by Mrs. Hammond and dedicated by the Rev. F. Platt, M.A., B.D., of Didsbury College.... A suitable site was secured at the corner of Cadwgan-road and Wynn-avenue on the Cefn Estate. The Trustees and; the Circuit Quarterly Meeting felt that the request of Old Colwyn could not be wisely resisted, and building operations were begun, the memorial stones being laid in March last. It was decided to limit the expenditure at the outset to about £2,000, towards which about £1,150 was soon collected. The new school-chapel represents the completion of the smaller portion of a larger scheme which includes, a fine chapel on the same plot of land. It is a very handsome building, in which picturesqueness and utility are combined in an exceptional way. The designs were by the leading architects, Messrs. J. M. Porter and Elcock, Colwyn Bay, and the contract has been carried out in a most expeditious and, praiseworthy manner by Messrs. Tucker and Sons. The heating is by Messrs. Richardson and Co., Darlington, and other work has been done by Messrs. Pierce and Co., Birmingham. The wood block flooring is by Mr. Higginbottom, formerly of Old Colwyn; whilst the painting has been carried out in artistic style by Messrs. Jones Brothers, Victoria Buildings, Colwyn Bay. The building, costing about £1,500, affords seating accommodation for 2S0 persons, and there are two vestries and two classrooms. The main room, the interior of which presents such quaint and restful appearance, is 50ft. long by 30ft. wide, and, is lighted in a new manner with clerestory lights in the roof. A special feature has been made of the wood roof so as to show the timber, and there are practically no nails holding the timbers together, in all cases the roof depending entirely upon oak dowels and the jointing. The ventilation is entirely natural, and the building is heated by large-bore low-pressure hot water pipes, whilst gas is the illuminant adopted. Selected green slates from Westmoreland are used on the roof, and an interesting little spirelet has been formed as a ventilating shaft. It should be added that, judging by experience of the opening service, the acoustic properties of the building leave nothing to be desired. Old Colwyn is to be congratulated, upon the addition. of this beautiful place of worship to its, public buildings. [North Wales Weekly News 30 July 1909 page 12]

Reference        Building News 22 January 1909 Page 136
Reference        Builder vol 96 23 January 1909 page 99
Reference        Welsh Coast Pioneer 25 March 1909 page 10 – foundation stone
Reference        North Wales Weekly News 30 July 1909 page 12 - opening