Mill Hill Chapel

Mill Hill Chapel, Leeds

Unitarian chapel, built 1847–48, designed by Bowman and Crowther of Manchester. The building is constructed of millstone grit with a slate roof and is aligned north–south. It underwent late 19th-century alterations and internal re-ordering around 1925 and 1960. The chapel is in the Gothic Revival style.

The chapel comprises 7 bays, with the central projecting bay forming a 1-bay transept containing the main west entrance. A vestry is positioned to the north-east, with an east entrance from Lower Basinghall Street. The west entrance has a deep moulded rebate. Windows are of 2- and 5-light traceried Perpendicular design with hoodmoulds. Stepped buttresses separate the bays and rise through trefoil-pierced parapets as bases for missing crocketed finials. Elaborate pierced lantern tops and finials remain only on the octagonal buttresses flanking the south window. Cross finials crown the gables.

The west doorway opens into a lobby containing pre-1847 wall memorial tablets and an inserted ceiling. The 6-bay nave has shallow side aisles, clustered columns, and an arch-braced roof with angels carved on the brackets and stone corbels. The southern 3 bays were partitioned to form a church hall with a storage loft and gallery above, around 1960. Original pews remain, featuring crocketed finials, pew-end doors with original latches, hinges and number plaques. A Caen stone pulpit stands on the west side.

The shallow chancel has raised marble flooring and includes a memorial to Charles Hargrove, minister 1876–1912 (died 1918). Choir stalls date to around 1925. A reredos with mosaics by Salvati of Venice (circa 1884) depicts Christ and the prophets. The organ, installed post-1896, was a memorial to the Bulmer family. The vestry was enlarged at the expense of Sir James Kitson, Baronet, in 1897.

The stained glass is of considerable significance. The west wall contains an original window by Warrington of London, a memorial to Arthur Lupton and Anne. In the east wall, partially obscured by gallery stairs, is an early but faded Morris window in memory of Ann Kitson (died 1865), mayoress 1860–62 and mother of James Kitson, first Lord Airedale. This window, designed by William Morris and Ford Maddox Brown, depicts the Pelican pietas, angels with musical instruments, and figures of Ruth, Martha, Mary Magdalen and Dorcas. Two further windows in the east wall are by Clayton and Bell. At the north end, the Lord Airedale memorial window by A.K. Nicholson of London (1912) represents the continuity of Christianity and portrays local and national figures, including Sir James Kitson himself.

Memorials include a tablet on the west wall to John W Connon, local architect (died 1921).

The chapel is renowned as the site of Joseph Priestley's ministry (1767–1773) when it was a Presbyterian chapel built in 1674. The present building was developed and elaborated in the early 20th century by a small but politically active and highly influential congregation led by Reverend Charles Hargrove and Sir James Kitson. The churchyard wall and gateway to the east are included in the listing.