Congregational Church

NARBOROUGH SCHOOL LANE SP 59 NW 7/62 Congregational Church GV II

Congregational church. Dated 1770 on bricks, extended cruciform plan 1792, refenestrated 1880, refronted 1882, vestry rebuilt 1900. Pale red brick, the front of larger bricks; break eaves, part moulded, part off-set; slate roof- Cruciform plan with vestry in east angle. 1882 front has off-set buttresses, coped gable with moulded-verge, and octagonal stone finials. To either side, at ground floor and gallery levels, are pairs of arched lights in chamfered stone surrounds. To centre of gable is a round window with beam moulding and chamfered hoodmould. Central porch with coped gable, finial, moulded arch over double doors. Each side of church has gabled projection with marginally glazed windows of 1880. At ground floor level are 2 paired lights with arched glazing bars and cambered heads; above is a large arched window with 'Y' tracery flanked by slightly shorter single arched lights. Rear wing has similar windows but has been altered. Interior has gallery around 3 sides, pews of 1889, other late C19 fittings, and 1930s organ and choir stalls. Commemorative tablets to William Hudson 1811, on entrance wall, and to Rev William Bedford 1863 and wife 1859. Church was founded 1662, and a small square chapel built 1706. Traces of this early building may be incorporated in present structure but are not obvious. (Leicestershire and Rutland Congregational Union, The Story of Our Churches 1662- 1962, p.38-39. Newsletters of Narborough Congregational Church Nos 52-61).

Listing NGR: SP5400397469