Former Methodist Church Of St Mark

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 05/09/2014

SD31NW 664-1/1/30

SOUTHPORT, DERBY ROAD (North West side), Former Methodist Church of St Mark

(Formerly listed as St Mark's Methodist Church)

GV II

Former Methodist church. c1905, by FW Dixon of Oldham. Accrington brick with sandstone dressings, graduated green slate roofs, copper-clad spirelet. STYLE: Arts-and-Crafts Perpendicular. PLAN: nave on roughly north-south axis, with north-east tower and north-west porch, east and west transepts, south chancel. EXTERIOR: the square tower, embraced by the nave, with diagonal buttresses, tall parapet with shaped coping and a spirelet, has in the east side a doorway and 2-light window above with stone surround; windows in the north side in similar style, a small window in each side of the ringing chamber, and a 2-light louvred belfry window under a 2-centred arch in each side. The north gable of the nave has a shallow 3-bay narthex with 2 doorways, and above this a very large 2-centred arched 6-light window; to the right is a large square full-height 2-storey porch with pyramidal roof (converted to cloakrooms). The 4-bay side walls have buttresses and tall segmental-pointed 2-light windows with tracery. The transepts have very large 2-centred arched 5-light windows with tracery. INTERIOR: wide nave with unusual boarded segmental-vaulted ceiling carried on very large arch-braced "hammerbeam" trusses of painted oak, with curved passing braces; good oak-panelled dado, lectern, benches, choir stalls and north gallery (all original); stained glass memorial windows, including one to Sir William Hartley (of Hartley's jam) who paid pound-for-pound with the congregation for the cost of the building. Forms group with Arden College to south (qv).

Listing NGR: SD3428317232