Church of Emmanuel, Bentley and church hall

Church of Emmanuel, Bentley and church hall

A group of church, tower, church hall, vestry and side chapel, set on a hilltop at the former site of Bentley Hall manor house. The complex was built in 1954–56 to the designs of Richard Twentyman of Lavender, Twentyman and Percy.

The buildings are arranged in a modified H shape, constructed in buff brick laid in Sussex bond with stone and concrete dressings and copper roof sheeting. The church is conventionally oriented east–west and forms the cross stroke of the H, with a trapezoid-shaped side chapel projecting to the upper left and the entrance hall and church hall projecting at the lower left. The vestry wing, which connects to the vicarage, projects at the upper right.

The church nave has a north aisle of four principal bays divided by columns with quatrefoil sections, each wide bay corresponding to two narrower bays on the north side. The chancel has an organ loft to its north side.

The western approach is up a lengthy flight of steps rising from the roadway up the hill to a paved terrace in front of the church. To the left stands a rectangular tower on plan with the east and west sides being wider than the others. The walls taper gently, with a single window at ground level and plain walls above. At the top are four tiers of paired belfry openings, placed to the right of centre with louvers and segmental tops. The east and south sides of the tower abut the church at the lowest level, while the north side is blank at ground level. To the left of the tower the gable end of the church is blank except for a two-light window at lower left lighting the northern aisle. To the right of the tower are double doors with reeded decoration and a stone surround leading to the lobby. Above the doors is a stone Greek cross in relief with four smaller crosses surrounding it. Further right, the windows of the church hall form a continuous screen of four-light windows divided by concrete mullions which form part of the building's supporting frame, with slender mullions and thin transoms at their mid level. A gabled store room projecting at the far right may have been added later and has altered fenestration.

The south flank of the church has six three-light mullioned windows with concrete mullions and surrounds to its lower body, and nine small clerestory lights to the top of the wall. At the far right is a large five-light window lighting the chancel that extends for the full height of the wall, with panels and a fixed concrete flower box with reeded sides at the bottom and recessed black panels with raised bronze stars at the top. The church hall projects at the left. Its east front has a glass screen wall to the entrance lobby with reeded wooden double doors at the centre, set in a concrete frame, and above these a metal coat of arms of the diocese of Lichfield. To the left are five paired lights in projecting concrete frames. The southern gable end of the hall has a projecting Greek cross.

The gabled east end of the church has a Greek cross in relief to its upper part and the foundation stone below, recording the names of the architects and builders and the gift of Alfred Ernest Owen and his family. Recessed and to the right is the low vestry block extending to join the vicarage, with a panelled door at left and four square windows with projecting surrounds to the right.

The north side of the church has a continuous window divided by concrete mullions forming part of the supporting frame, with individual windows of seven lights with slender mullions and thin transoms.

Interior

The rectangular entrance lobby has external doors to its east and west sides and internal doors leading to the church and hall on its north and south sides. Both external doors have an angled internal lobby with glazed walls, with individual glass panels etched with the symbols of the evangelists and other religious iconography. The stone floor has patterned black marble and limestone flags.

The church has wood block flooring to the nave and travertine marble paving to the chancel. The nave and choir roof is boarded with wooden strips, while over the chancel the ceiling is plastered. The choir and chancel furnishings, including pews, altar rails, organ console, pulpit and reading desk, were all designed by Twentyman and typically have ribbed decoration to the fronts and sides. The chancel has a panelled eastern wall with plain and ribbed panels and shield shapes.

The north western side chapel has a wood block floor and angled walls with a pitched ceiling. The altar and rails were designed by Twentyman. The font at the western end is mounted on a stepped platform projecting from the west wall, with a cross-shaped stem and a wineglass bowl of limestone, its circular wooden lid having a brass and ebony finial.

The church hall has a stage at its southern end with a proscenium arch and a suspended ceiling.

Vestry rooms retain their original cupboards and the wing appears to maintain its original plan.

Setting

To the west of the church and hall is a terrace of concrete tiles. A flight of concrete steps extends westwards from the western door to the entrance lobby between the church and hall, connecting with Queen Elizabeth Avenue.