Beaconthorpe Methodist Church

Beaconthorpe Methodist Church

A Methodist church built in 1913-14, located on the east side of Grimsby Road in Cleethorpes. Constructed in red brick laid in Flemish bond with sandstone ashlar dressings, the building features a Welsh slate roof and spire, designed in the Arts and Crafts Gothic style.

The church is aligned with its ritual east end to the north. The main body comprises a 5-bay nave that incorporates two gabled transeptal bays to the north. A square-section tower occupies the south-west corner, with a west-facing door providing entry. A single-storey entrance porch projects from the south end, while to the north stands a single-bay organ chamber with adjoining accommodation: a single-storey section contains the ministers' vestry to the north-west, choir vestry to the north-east, and stores and boiler-house between them.

The plinth is ashlar-capped and chamfered. Full-height raked diagonal buttresses rise at the angles and between bays. The nave is distinguished by an ashlar frieze above the plinth with incised panels, and a sill stringcourse with a flush ashlar band above.

On the east and west sides of the nave, the 3-bay southern section features segmental-arched 3-light windows with cinquefoiled lights. The two projecting transeptal sections have pointed 3-light traceried windows with hoodmoulds and twin coped gables. The north organ chamber displays a single square-headed 3-light traceried window.

The south end is dominated by a projecting ground-floor porch accessed by four steps with iron railings. Flanking buttresses frame a pair of doorways with moulded ashlar segmental arches, chamfered jambs, and a continuous hoodmould. The doors themselves are double board doors fitted with strap hinges. Single square-headed windows with ashlar sills and lintels flank each doorway. The porch features a coped parapet ramped up to pointed hoods above both doors, with ramped gablets above the buttresses.

The tripartite south end of the nave features a large central 4-centred arched 5-light traceried window with a hoodmould that continues as a stringcourse. An ashlar stringcourse and triple stepped slits appear above. Buttresses flank the right bay, which contains a lancet with hoodmould. A coped gable rises above with embattled steps above the buttresses and a central carved finial.

The slightly tapered tower adjoins to the left in three stages, with full-height raked diagonal buttresses. The west entrance is reached by four steps and features a chamfered segmental ashlar arch with a stepped hoodmould. Double board doors with strap hinges provide access. The second stage has single recessed slits. The upper stage steps inward and contains twin lancet belfry windows with ashlar sills and heads with hoodmoulds. A brick modillioned and moulded ashlar cornice crowns this stage, topped by a coped embattled parapet that ramps up to the centre of each side in a pagoda line. Buttresses rise to pinnacles with square bases bearing incised trefoiled panels, surmounted by corniced caps with carved finials. An octagonal needle spire with finial crowns the tower.

The ministers' vestry has a canted west end with sash windows, ashlar lintels and sills, and a hipped roof. Exposed rafter ends and crested ridge tiles appear throughout the building. A truncated lead-covered octagonal louvre rises from the nave roof.

All windows display Arts and Crafts style Perpendicular tracery.

Interior

The nave features a 5-bay single hammer-beam roof with arch braces and iron tie-rods. The trusses to the transeptal sections are carried on a pair of tall cast-iron columns. A 4-centred arch of two orders leads to the organ chamber, with the inner moulded order resting on moulded corbels.

The original furnishings include a panelled pine pulpit with openwork quatrefoil panels. Pews are arranged in curved rows. Panelled dado with moulded dado rail lines the walls. Arts and Crafts stained glass adorns the windows, particularly ornate in the south window. Panelled doors with stained glass provide access to the lobby.

An inscribed marble tablet at the foot of the tower records the laying of the foundation stones on 21st May 1913.