Upper Independent Chapel

This is a Congregational chapel, built in 1890. Designed by A A Stott of Heckmondwike, with contributions from various local and national contractors and artisans, including masons W & J Milner of Mirfield, joiners Fothergill and Schofield of Batley Carr, and Haworth Bros. of Manchester for mosaic work and carving. Stone was sourced from Ringsby quarries.

The chapel is built of very fine ashlar, with a slate roof featuring dentilled and bracketed eaves cornices. It is a two-story, seven-bay hall with a highly elaborate five-bay facade and return bays to each side. The central three bays project forward, forming a giant tetrastyle portico in antis with a broad flight of steps. The portico uses the Composite order, repeated as flanking pilasters on the outer bays. Above the portico is a dentilled and bracketed pediment with an oculus in the tympanum and an anthemion ornament at the apex. The frieze bears the inscription "UPPER INDEPENDENT CHAPEL" in raised sans-serif lettering. Behind the portico are three double doorways, with matching doors at each return, all featuring panelled doors, elongated keystones, and fanlights. The first-floor windows are round-arched, with scrolled architraves and keystones. Ground-floor side bay windows feature rusticated aprons, moulded sills, and carved console brackets supporting cornices. First-floor side bay windows have blind balustrades. The left bay is surmounted by an octagonal tower with round-arched windows, flanking pilasters, an entablature, a pierced balustrade with ball finials, and an octagonal leaded dome. The right bay has a similar octagonal leaded dome along with large flanking vases. Side elevations include further bays of segmental-headed ground-floor windows and round-arched first-floor windows, all with architraves and decorative keystones.

The interior features a rounded gallery to three sides, with decorative plaster panels and slender, fluted Composite columns. The gallery and hall are box-pewed. Paired Composite pilasters flanking the organ chamber are painted to resemble marble. The organ and choir stalls have been removed. A pulpit of oak and walnut with small Composite colonnettes is reached by staircases on either side and features a pedimented door. The ceiling is moulded plaster.

The chapel represents the fourth building on or near this site.