Boulder Clough Bethel Chapel

A Methodist chapel dated 1897, designed by Sutcliffe and Sutcliffe of Todmorden. The chapel is constructed of ashlar with a slate roof and stands on a site where a chapel was first built in 1822. The main building is seven bays long, with round towers to the end bays, built in an Arts and Crafts style. Each tower has three bands and a small three-light window to the ground floor, above which are six transomed windows, stepped up in line with the slope of the internal stairs. These windows have elliptical arched heads, with some glazing bars remaining. The towers are topped with conical roofs and finials. Between the towers is a four-bay round-arched arcade with short Doric columns on panelled pedestals, cornices, and plinths. The arches are rusticated and have keystones from which pilasters rise to support the cornice of the ramped parapet, which is finished with ball finials. The parapet is inscribed with "BETHEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH REBUILT 1897". Behind the arcade is a four-light chamfered mullion window, flanked by half-glazed moulded doors with glazing bars and a sunflower motif on each lintel. The first floor has mullion and transomed windows of three lights flanked by two lights, the top lights being elliptical-arched and most retaining their glazing bars. The roof is hipped between the towers, topped with a finial, and lower gabled sections to either side, behind the towers. Some crested ridge tiles survive, and a stack is positioned behind the left tower in the roof slope. The returns have square-headed windows to the ground floor, and to the first floor, a round-arched mullion and transomed window in a style resembling a Venetian window, plus a two-light window to the gable. Contemporary interior fittings were noted in a previous list description; the interior was not inspected during a recent survey.