Former Leysian Mission

Former Methodist Leysian Mission on City Road, Islington

Built between 1901 and 1906, with the date 1903 inscribed in the left-hand pediment and 1955 in the right-hand pediment (referring to restoration work following bomb damage). Designed by Bradshaw and Gass.

The building is constructed of red terracotta with polished granite piers at ground-floor level. The rear elevations are of white brick, and the mansard roofs are covered with Welsh slate. Internal construction is partly of steel. The building rises to five principal storeys, with two further storeys of dormer windows in the attic and four additional storeys within a central tower.

The City Road front presents an almost symmetrical elevation. The composition consists of a broad, slightly projecting centrepiece over the entrances, gabled end bays, and three bays on either side. The architectural detail is of a type partly derived from late-Gothic forms influenced by Art Nouveau, a style often found in Edwardian Nonconformist architecture.

The ground floor features flat-arched entrances to the centrepiece with antae, and round-arched openings to either side for shops with columns. The capitals on the antae and columns display stylised foliage forms. A broad coved frieze rises above the arcade, interrupted by bracketed cartouches. The mezzanine to the centrepiece interrupts the frieze with a four-light window under a round arch, flanked by two-light windows under round arches, with an elaborate Lombard frieze and balustraded parapet above. The remainder of the centrepiece has a central canted bay rising three storeys, pairs of windows to either side, and single windows to the outer sides.

On either side of the centrepiece are three canted bays rising three storeys. The first floor has flat-arched windows with one mullion and one transom, with Art Nouveau-influenced moulding above; the second floor has similar windows without the moulding; and the third floor has segmental-arched windows. Between the bays are narrow panels with traceried niches at the third floor. The outer bays have flat-arched windows to the first and second floors and segmental windows to the third floor with oculi above, accompanied by elaborate ornament to the spandrels. The piers on either side of the outer bays are double-curved on their faces.

The cornice projects over the canted bays. Above it is an attic storey with a segmental window to the centrepiece, an arcade of segmental windows over the canted bays with squat columns and ornate capitals, and lunette windows to the end bay. A billeted cornice rises above the attic. Over the centrepiece stands an octagonal tower with two flanking domes at its first floor and a small canted bay to the second and third floors, decorated with an elaborate Lombard frieze and surmounted by a dome with oculi and lantern. Over the canted bays are two storeys of flat-arched dormers. The end bays carry three segmental-arched windows under segmental-pointed-arched pediments, which bear dates. At the southern end is an additional bay with a carriage entrance at ground floor. The first floor continues the treatment of the main facade, whilst the second and third floors have a five-sided bay that becomes semi-circular on the fourth floor.

The interior contains a contemporary staircase with semi-circular landings featuring free-standing columns, and stained glass by W.J. Pearce of Manchester.