Centenary Methodist Church And Attached Church Hall

Centenary Methodist Church and Attached Church Hall, Boston

A Methodist church with ancillary rooms and hall, originally built in 1839 by Stephen Lewin and substantially refronted and altered in 1910 by Gordon and Gurton following a fire in 1909. The building is constructed of Portland stone ashlar, Gault brick with ashlar and stucco dressings, and red brick, with slate roofs and stone coped gables.

The front elevation of 1910 is in ashlar and features tall square towers at each end linked by a convex 2-storey front. Each tower has a plinth, moulded string course and 3 plain stone bands to the ground floor stage. The towers are topped by deeply moulded and dentilled cornices surmounted by Ionic lanterns with semicircular arches to each side flanked by pairs of columns on the angles, crowned by drawn-up Wrenian domes with ball finials.

At the base of each tower is a deeply recessed central doorway with a large semicircular stone hood on brackets and a carved roundel in the tympanum. Above are pairs of tall slot windows on each side, and to the upper stage a single window with stone architrave and keystone, with an apron below and pedimented dripmould above.

The convex central section has a ground floor with 4 pairs of attached Doric columns supporting a plain frieze and cornice. Above is a dentilled cornice and plain parapet with the stone gable of the pitched roof visible behind. The ground floor contains a central narrow window flanked by pairs of columns, a recessed door with overlight, and a further narrow window between 2 columns. These openings have moulded shouldered surrounds with narrow keystones and cornices, and the doorways feature semicircular pediments with carved tympana. The first floor has a thin colonnade with 7 glazed openings between, with continuous moulded sill and head.

The Gault brick returns of 5 bays divided by brick pilasters with stucco cornices date from the original 1839 church but feature 1910 fenestration. They have a rendered plinth, moulded cornice, plain frieze and overhanging eaves. The tall windows have moulded stucco architraves with segmental heads to the ground floor and shouldered heads to the first floor.

To the rear are 2 gabled link blocks, each with a pair of panelled doors under a flat canopy on scrolled brackets and a semicircular-headed window in a moulded surround over. Projecting single-storey wings with leaded casements are attached. Connected to the link blocks are late 19th-century 2-storey red brick parallel ranges containing committee rooms, library, offices, a school hall and stage.

The interior arrangement and fittings date from 1910. The pews are set out with 2 aisles forming a broad curve at the front, all matching with boarded backs. A full gallery runs along the sides and rear of the church, curved at the rear with a panelled front, supported on slender Doric columns. From the gallery floor, Ionic columns support an elliptical vaulted ceiling with dentilled and garlanded fruit cornices, stained glass rooflights and decorative ceiling roundels.

A deeply moulded fibrous plaster arch spans the choir and organ space with an elaborate garlanded frieze and winged escutcheon at the centre. The central elevated pulpit has a semicircular panelled front with steps up from each side with turned balusters. In front is a semicircular altar rail. Behind at a higher level stands a 3 manual organ by Cousans of Lincoln with carved details. The font, lectern, communion table and chairs are contemporary. Panel doors and match-boarded dado panelling are featured throughout.

The windows are leaded lights with stained glass panels in restrained Art Nouveau style. The church can seat 1200 people and is known locally as the Methodist Cathedral.