Burnley Lane Baptist Church and Institute

Burnley Lane Baptist Church and Institute

This Baptist complex comprises a converted Sunday School with integral dwelling and an added chapel that became the church. The Sunday School and dwelling date from 1845, while the chapel (replacing an earlier chapel of 1787 on the opposite side of the road) dates from 1860. The buildings have been altered and the church extended to the rear.

The structures are built mostly of coursed squared sandstone, with the Institute having a watershot finish and the church ashlar-faced. Both parts feature rusticated quoins. The Institute has a hipped stone slate roof, while the church has a slate roof.

The complex forms an L-plan, with an east-west range containing the original Sunday School and dwelling, with the church projecting as a crosswing at the west end.

The Institute and dwelling range is predominantly two storeys, comprising 4 plus 1 windows, with a band over the ground floor and a 1st-floor impost band with stone gutter brackets. The building appears to have been shortened at the west end. The former school openings form a symmetrical set notably offset to the left, positioned very close to the junction with the church. At each end of this set is a tall square-headed doorway at ground floor with a square-cut plain surround, a 9-panel door with glazed top panels, and a square overlight, with a round-headed window at 1st floor above. The centre section contains a pair of rectangular windows at ground floor and a pair of tall round-headed windows above. Between these is a datestone at ground floor with raised lettering reading "SABBATHSDAY / SCHOOL / 1845" and a reset triangular-headed datestone set on the band inscribed "EBENEZER / ERECTED / 1787". The ground floor also includes an intermediate pair of smaller windows. The continuation to the right (No.2 Hebrew Road) is divided into 3 storeys with altered openings at ground floor and one window on each upper floor, both breaking the bands.

The church to the left is rectangular, slightly higher at 2 storeys, with a symmetrical pedimented facade of 4 windows. The ground floor has 2 segmental-headed sashed windows with geometrical glazing bars, moulded architraves and triple keystones, flanked by round-headed doorways with moulded heads and keystones, pilastered architraves with plain friezes and moulded cornices, and panelled doors with fanlights. The 1st floor has round-headed windows with pilaster jambs, moulded heads with keystones, and pedimented architraves with enriched consoles. All windows, including the fanlights, contain stained glass margin panes. The pediment contains a wreath and banner with raised lettering reading "GENERAL / BAPTIST / CHAPEL / ANNO DOMINI MDCCCLX".

The left side wall comprises 5 windows, with square-headed windows at ground floor and round-headed windows above, all sashed with coloured margin panes. The right-hand side has 3 similar windows. At the rear is an irregular 2-window extension serving as the minister's vestry and organ chamber.

The interior of the church features a horseshoe gallery on cast-iron columns with composite capitals, with original numbered box-pews upstairs. Adapted original pendant gas-light fittings remain, including a ventilated ceiling rose. The former pulpit, organ loft with choir stalls, and ground floor box-pews were removed circa 1970.

The complex forms a group with Burnley Lane Baptist Church Hall to the south, to which it is now linked.