Sparkhill United Church, Including Church Rooms To Rear

Sparkhill United Church, built in 1932-3 by W H Bidlake, is a red brick building with gabled plain tile roofs. It incorporates elements of Romanesque, Moderne and Domestic Revival styles. The building consists of a 4-bay aisled nave with an apsidal east end and a west porch; church hall buildings extend to the rear.

The west front features a tall central bay flanked by lower bays. The flanking bays have clasped buttresses topped with ashlar blocks below 2-light windows with plain capitals to stone shafts; a Lombard frieze runs along the upper section, with corbelled soffits to the ashlar corner blocks. The central bay contains double-leaf doors within a plain ashlar surround, with relief foliate carving and a date plaque in the tympanum, all set within a deep arch with decorative tile and brickwork. Above a tall, 3-bay arcade, with plain capitals to the shafts, is a large rose window set in a recessed wall. The central bay rises again with clasped buttresses and a Lombard frieze. The side elevations feature paired, round-arched metal casements with switch tracery in leaded lights, and gabled bays linked by lean-to aisles. The east end is canted.

Inside, the 4-bay aisled nave has broad, pointed-arched ribs to a vaulted ceiling. A west screen has a dentilled cornice above leaded lights in upper glazed panels. The central two arches of the aisles have 2-light windows above double arches with a central ashlar column. A tall arch leads to the sanctuary, which has panelled walls with 2-light windows above, having ashlar columns to the rerearches. The church features a Bolection-panelled pulpit and benches with panelled backs and shouldered ends. The west window depicts Christ in Majesty framed by roundels of winged cherubim, and a memorial window shows the Flight to Egypt in remembrance of Rev. John Bolton Petts, who died in 1934.

Attached to the rear are church hall buildings constructed of similar materials and in an asymmetrical Domestic Revival style with gabled and half-hipped roofs.

This church is a fine example of early 20th century nonconformist architecture and a late work by W H Bidlake, who was known for his involvement in the Arts and Crafts movement. It represents a bold Romanesque style, distinguished by detailed stonework and tilework, drawing upon native and north Italian architectural traditions.