Market Hall And Railings On South East And South West Sides

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 19 August 2024 to amend the name and address and reformat the text to current standards

TM2531 609-1/7/162

HARWICH Dovercourt KINGSWAY Kingsway Hall and Railings on South East and South West sides

(Formerly listed as Market Hall and railings on south-east and south-west sides, previously listed as: KINGSWAY, Dovercourt Kingsway Evangelical Church)

20/06/72

II

Shown on OS as Kingsway Evangelical Church. Nonconformist church, subsequently used as indoor market, now (2024) an events venue known as Kingsway Hall. Mid 1870s. By Gibbons of Ipswich. Italianate church of Roman cement-coated brickwork now with metal sheet roofs.

EXTERIOR: tower of five stages at South West end with low pitched pyramid roof, dentilled cornice and iron finial/weathervane. The top stage has clasping pilasters and segmental arch-headed louvred openings between framing pilasters. Below this is a short stage with circular openings with moulded frames, on each face and further modillioned cornice. Near base is an architrave wrapping round and looped over a window as a semicircular arch. Base of tower stands slightly proud of flanking lobbies with parapets and Grecian detail.

South-west door opening, into tower has low pedimented head and similar pedimental doors, in flank of lobbies and similar detail to single windows in South West face of lobbies.

Nave has low pitched roof, parapeted gables and three large Venetian windows in each flank with heavily articulated stilted semicircular enclosing arches. A short 'chancel' projects on the North East end and has low pitched roof, parapeted gable and tripartite group of narrow semicircular arch-headed windows. At ground level this is enclosed in a single-storey felt hipped roofed block with panelled exterior.

Due to ground slope there is moat-like area on South East and South West sides with 22 Roman cement-coated piers and railings of cast-iron panels and Anthemion castings. Flights of stairs to main and lobby doors.

INTERIOR: nave is of three bays of giant pilasters and boarded roof coved on flanks. Chancel has pair Doric pilasters and enclosing semicircular arch. Gallery with panelled front at South West end on raking brackets and two cast-iron columns. Gallery entrance in form of deep semicircular-arched recess with entablature carried on flanking lateral consoles. Gallery stairs in South East lobby with turned balusters.

Marble plaque (now replica) under tower erected by Robert John Bagshaw MP (promoter of Dovercourt New Town) to commemorate mother and sister drowned in Hooghly River, Calcutta October 20th 1820. Similar plaque in South West lobby to his wife Georgiana d.1867. Basement has cast-iron columns and is now (2024) a shop.

Listing NGR: TM2564431564