Young Men'S Christian Association (Ymca)

The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) is a large Italianate former chapel built around 1860-1870, with a minister's house at the rear. It stands free with its side facing Trinity Road and features two tall storeys on a plinth. The building has a broad, pedimented, ashlar front with five bays, complemented by quoin pilasters and large modillion brackets supporting the cornice and pediment. There is a moulded sill course at the first floor level and archivolt arched windows with shell corbels, with the central three grouped by broad dividing pilasters. The ground floor has three round-headed doorways that align with the windows, featuring bold console keys on the archivolt arches that spring from a deep entablature, which is returned into concave panelled reveals adorned with rinceaux in the soffits. A broad flight of steps leads up to the entrance, with a balustrade and urn finialed terminal pedestals. The west front is plain, with tall round-headed windows set back for one order, and includes an impost band and plat band. The east front facing Trinity Road is ashlar faced, with similar window designs and quoin pilasters. The adjoining minister's house has a plinth, moulded sill course, and eaves cornice, presenting a seven-bay symmetrical elevation with round-headed glazing bar sash windows and a panelled door topped with a semi-circular fanlight. The building occupies an important corner site.