Bethel First United Church Of Jesus Christ

LEEDS

SE2835SE VICTORIA ROAD, Hyde Park 714-1/70/879 (South side) 30/04/82 Bethel First United Church of Jesus Christ (Formerly Listed as: VICTORIA STREET, Hyde Park (South side) Bethel United Methodist Church)

GV II

Church. 1886. Sandstone with gritstone dressings; brick and timber with stone details on E and S sides, slate roof. Gothic Revival style. PLAN: a large church with a hemmed in but lofty street elevation, the body of the church set on a splayed angle with basement to rear. EXTERIOR: 2-bay portal approached by steep steps, shafted and pointed trelobe arches, applied gable with diaperwork and rosettes. Large 5-light window above with quatrefoil tracery, steep gable overall, flanking buttresses capped by tall pinnacles. This centrepiece is flanked by very narrow buttressed bays, that to NE abutted by a narrow square tower with louvred bell stage, corner pinnacles and rising above, a 3-stage slated timber spire. The foundation stones, one at the base of each buttress, are dated 28 July 1886 and were laid by, from left to right: Mrs Harry Walker of Leeds, Mrs James Mathers of Leeds, Richard Ellis Esq. JP Mayor of Harrogate, William Mart Esq of Leeds, and Mrs James Wheatley of Leeds. Right return: brick with flush ashlar 2- and 3-light windows with trefoils, shallow roof below narrow clerestory which is entirely timber-framed with quatrefoil lights; transept crossing wing with 4-light mullioned windows with trefoil heads to 2nd floor. INTERIOR: the main doors open into a lobby with doors left and right to gallery stairs and offices; steps up to an ornate composite floor decorated with fleurs-de-lis, the coved ceiling has raised panels of vine scrolls; a timber partition with fine stained glass (bird and flower motifs) separates the lobby from the galleried meeting room with cast-iron columns and inserted ceiling. A stained-glass window in the E wall commemorates William Mart, 1840-1897 one of the founders of the church. Original pews and dais with carved Gothic Revival style balustrade. Gallery not inspected.

Listing NGR: SE2875535460