Building record 2416/0/296 - Oundle Congregational Church, West Street

Former Congregational chapel in West Street built in 1864 by WF Poulton of Reading, superseding a meeting house of 1724. Symmetrical building in roughly coursed rubble with Welsh slate roof with red ridge tile. Central gable rises to stone and iron finial at apex, 1 large window beneath a single lunette. 2 flanking gabled porches with dripmoulds over arched moulded doorways. Buttresses between porches and window reach beyond the gable to form thin minarets. Now used as a theatre.

{1} Dated 1852. Symmetrical building in roughly coursed rubble with Welsh slate roof with red ridge tile. Central gable rises to stone and iron finial at apex. 1 large window beneath a single lunette. 2 flanking gabled porches with dripmoulds over arched moulded doorways. Buttresses between porches and window reach beyond the gable to form thin minarets. Side elevation has 6 lancet windows with trefoil heads, the bays divided by buttresses. Included solely as part of a group. Nos 15 to 19 (odd) 2 and 33 to 53 (odd) form a group with Church of St Wilfred, Paine's Almhouses and Oundle Congregational Church.

{3}Congregational Church, West Street
Erected in 1864 on the site of the former chapel. Seated 450, was built in the gothic style. Large building of impressive design. Later became the Randolphe Stahl Theatre. Would appear to have been substantially altered in the interior. Film 1, photo 7.The Manse associated with the chapel appears to be in domestic use. Film 1, photo 8. (1)

{4} Built 1864, by W F Poulton of Reading, superseding a meeting-house of c1724.

{6} Undated photo;

{7} Photo of The Manse taken 16th August 1994;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 1/169 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), H16 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<3> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Oundle (Industrial), (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN100257.

<4> The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1986, Nonconformist Chapels and Meeting-Houses: Northamptonshire & Oxfordshire, p. 145/site 52 (Report). SNN2902.

<5> Coleman, T, 1853, Memorials of the Independent Churches of Northamptonshire, p. 250-61 (Book). SNN54569.

<6> Photographs of buildings in Oundle (Photographs). SNN114658.

<7> Photographs of buildings in Oundle (Photographs). SNN114658.

Record last edited

Jun 18 2025 10:32AM