Building record 3340/0/15 - Yardley Hastings United Reform Church

Congregational chapel. Built in 1813 to replace a chapel of 1718 which had been destroyed by fire, extended mid 19th century. Coursed squared limestone, slate roof. Single cell plan. 2-storey, 4-window range. 2 central bays break forward slightly and have 2-light casement windows to ground floor with segmental-arched heads. A late 18th century manse adjoins to the south and a two-storeyed Sunday school of mid 19th century date adjoins tothe north.

{1} Nonconformist chapel. Built 1813, extended mid C19. Coursed squared limestone, slate roof. Single cell plan. 2-storey, 4-window range. 2 central bays break forward slightly and have 2-light casement windows to ground floor with segmental-arched heads. C20 doors to far left and right with plain pilastered wood surrounds and entablatures. Doors and windows above are set in shallow recesses with round-arched heads. 2-light casement windows to 1st floor with round-arched heads. Segmental and round-headed arches are of contrasting grey sandstone and all have key blocks. Pedimented gable with central keyed oculus. A rectangular railed enclosure projects to centre; cast-iron railings with spear finials and urn finials to standards. County fire insurance plaque to 1st floor centre. Plaque between 1st floor centre windows with hood mould inscribed Built 1718/Destroyed by Fire/March 1813/Rebuilt and Enlarged/By Public/Subscription 1813. Long recessed panel above 1st floor windows bearing inscription YARDLEY CHAPEL. 2-storey, 3-window red brick extension to right with side door. Fine interior with galleries to 3 sides. Galleries have panelled fronts. Central panel of gallery to entrance end breaks forward and bears clock face. The galleries are supported by slender cast-iron columns with simple Ionic-style capitals. Deep coved plaster ceiling. Later C19 pitch-pine pews and pulpit. First floor room of extension, formerly Sunday School can be opened out to gallery adjacent by shuttered partition to wall between, which is supported by pair of painted stone or cast-iron baseless Doric columns. Originally a Congregational Chapel founded 1672. (Buildings of England: Northanptonshire: 1973, p471)

{7} Undated photo;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 17/171 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F12 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 691 (Book). SNN111989.

<4> Smith, P., 1972, History of Yardley Hastings Congregational Church, (unchecked) (Guide). SNN108949.

<5> The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1986, Nonconformist Chapels and Meeting-Houses: Northamptonshire & Oxfordshire, p. 153 (Report). SNN2902.

<6> Historic England, Undated, UNITED REFORMED CHURCH, YARDLEY HASTINGS, BF079994 (Archive). SNN114255.

<7> Photographs of buildings in Yardley Hastings (Photographs). SNN114340.

Record last edited

Nov 23 2022 11:16AM