28 Howard Street

28 Howard Street, North Shields

A non-conformist church, now the Salvation Army Citadel, constructed in 1811 and designed by John Dobson, one of the most eminent architects of the north-east of England. The building was commissioned for adherents of Presbyterianism as professed by the National and Established Church of Scotland, known as the Scotch Church because by deed the Minister had to be a licentiate of the Church of Scotland.

The foundation stone was laid on 17 September 1810 at a cost of £2,275. The building stands on the northern end of Howard Street, above Saville Street, near three other designs by Dobson: the Baptist Church, the former New United Presbyterian Church (St Columba's church) and a public building on the corner of Howard and Saville Street. The site was part of John Wright's 1796 development of the New Town of North Shields, following his purchase of 50 acres from Frederick Howard, fifth Earl of Carlisle.

The non-conformist congregation had been established in 1662 by Reverend John Lomax, following Black Bartholomew's Day, and divided around 1759 into Orthodox Presbyterians and Unitarians. This Scotch Church on Howard Street was the third site established by the Orthodox Presbyterians after the congregation's split. A Sunday School for boys, girls and infants was attached to the south of the church and was rebuilt in 1841 by Minister David Tasker. Around 1865, an organ was installed. The church was restored in the 1870s. The congregation continued in use as a Presbyterian church until between 1947 and 1949, when it united with other Presbyterian congregations to form St Columba's Congregational Church. The church stood empty until 1957, when the Salvation Army purchased it to provide new headquarters for the North Shields Corps.

The building is constructed in Greek Doric style in sandstone ashlar with a graduated slate roof. The main east elevation is of one storey with an attic, composed of three bays. Large pilasters with capitals define each bay, with a sill band and a complete entablature. Plain pilasters define the attic bays above, which rise to a raised central parapet with ramped sides. The elevation contains a central half-glazed double door and large over-light, flanked by narrow windows with pilasters rising to a frieze with bull's skull ornament. Similar ornamentation appears on the bracketed canopies of windows in the bays either side and on the central tripartite attic window, all with renewed glazing.