Building record 535/4/1 - Byfield United Reformed Chapel

{1} The former Independent Chapel in Byfield is dated 1827. The building has not been modernised and retains its original fixtures and fittings including windows, doors, pulpit, pews and gallery. The building is of red brick construction but has been rendered on the frontage — possibly with Portland Cement. The schoolroom to the rear of the building was probably erected later in the 19th century and retains many original features including wood panelling, coat hooks and cupboards.
United Reformed Chapel, Byfield - originally an Independent Chapel dated 1827. The original chapel building is a two-storey red brick building of simplified classical design. A red brick gothic porch was added to the centre of the frontage at a later date. A single storey brick extension to form a schoolroom was also added (probably in the mid-late l9th century). A tiny brick outbuilding or lavatory has also been added to the rear of the building. The chapel is located within its own plot of land with a red brick wall surrounding the property and a wrought iron gate on the frontage. The chapel does not appear to have had an associated graveyard.
The building is very plain with a gabled parapet with cement render to the SW frontage. There is a small plaque in the gable “Independent Chapel 1827”. A red brick porch is located in the centre of the frontage with a wooden arched door painted blue. There are four 16-pane shallow arched sash windows on the front of the building. The first floor windows light the gallery which is located at the SW end of the chapel. The east and west faces of the building are unadorned with the exception of a single 24 pane rectangular sash window to either side. The rear (NE) face of the building has the single storey 19th century schoolroom extension; above this are two square decorative windows stained blue, red and orange and a blocked opening in the centre of the gable. The opening has brick vousoirs above this which may indicate a former window or possibly an external access to loft space in the roof of the building.
The chapel is divided into three separate internal spaces - the porch, chapel (with gallery above) and schoolroom to the rear.
The porch is completely unadorned and simply forms a lobby between the exterior and the body of the chapel. A wood panelled door with frosted glass inserts forms the entrance to the chapel.
The chapel is rectangular in shape and has wood panelling (approximately 1m high) around all four walls of the building. The raised pulpit (with access via four steps on either side) survives intact on the NE wall of the building with a small wooden bench seat on the back wall for the preacher. The pulpit has decorative wooden panelling to the rear flanked by two doors (each with four panels and a three light fanlight) painted white. The doors lead through to the schoolroom behind. The pews remain in-situ with two rows facing NE either side of the central aisle; there are a small number of pews facing east and west at the north end of the building near the pulpit. A wooden organ is located to the front of the pews on the west side of the building. The wooden floorboards in the chapel remain intact. The gallery is located at the SW of the chapel and is supported by two piers to either side of the central aisle. Access to the gallery is via wooden steps (with a protective coating on each tread) to the west side of the building. There is a panelled wooden cupboard below the stairs on the ground floor. There are three rows of pews in the gallery; which is lighted by two sash windows on the SW face.
The schoolroom to the rear of the building is accessed via two doors leading from the centre of the chapel and also has a separate access via a panelled door on the west face of the building. There is wooden panelling (jainted green) around all four walls of the room and a series of coat pegs on the south wall. On the north wall of the building there are two cupboards constructed within the thickness of the wall with wooden horizontal sliding cupboard doors — these currently contain hymn books. There are 12 pane non-opening windows on the east and west walls; both have the bottom 8 panes blocked to restrict light into the building. The room is currently laid out as a school room or additional chapel with rows of wooden Sunday School chairs and a modem wooden pulpit with the inscription “A gift to Byfield United Reformed and Methodist Church from Boumemouth Metropolitan Community Church” on the front. There is a kitchen sink on the east side of the building and an additional cupboard on the west.

{3} Historic building recording before conversion to a dwelling.

<1> Ballinger J., 2000, United Reformed Chapel, Byfield, (checked) (Notes). SNN100789.

<2> Ballinger J., 2000, United Reformed Church, Byfield, (checked) (Photographic prints (COL)). SNN100790.

<3> Woodfield P., 2001, Byfield, United Reformed Chapel, (checked) (Report). SNN102361.

Record last edited

Apr 19 2012 2:12PM