Barking Baptist Tabernacle

Barking Baptist Tabernacle

Baptist church built in 1893 by Holliday and Greenwood, builders. The church replaced a modest chapel on Queen's Road built by Barking's Baptist community in 1851. Land was purchased in 1879, but construction did not begin until a building committee was formed in 1890. The church was funded by congregational subscriptions and a grant from the Baptist Building Fund. The interior was remodelled in 1905 and subsequently modified. Two halls were added to the rear: school rooms in 1898 and additional halls in 1937, both of which lack special architectural interest.

The church is constructed of stock brick with red brick and stucco dressings, with an asphalt-covered pitched roof. The façade to Linton Road is free Renaissance in style, taking the form of a large segmental pediment with a tall central bay topped by a triangular pediment. The base of the pediment is painted with the words "18 BAPTIST TABERNACLE 93". The three-bay façade features full-height stucco pilasters with incised triglyphs for capitals. Four foundation stones, all dated 1893, are set at the bases of the pilasters. The centre bay contains a large round-arched opening with alternating red brick and stone heads, within which is a tracery window. Below this is the main entrance, consisting of two doors under a triangular pediment flanked by large consoles with palmettes. The doors are flanked by granite columns with stone capitals and are reached by a semi-circular flight of steps. The original timber six-panelled doors with stained glass in the upper panels and stained glass fanlights survive. The two end bays are identical, each with a single door under a segmental pediment, flanking windows at ground floor level, and three-light mullion and transom windows with round heads above, set in relieving arches of alternating stone and red brick. Art-Nouveau-style iron gates and railings enclose the front area. The side elevations are plainer, with red brick and stone dressings to the round-arched windows.

The interior consists of a large auditorium with galleries on three sides. The ceiling is barrel-vaulted with an impressive open truss roof dating to 1905. Each truss has curved braces with decorative spandrels, a large tie beam and a crown post, resting on a slender iron colonnette with cluster shafts; these also support the galleries. The aisle roofs are similarly designed on a smaller scale, with trusses carried on the same iron colonnettes and wall-mounted corbels. Longitudinal curved braces also feature decorative spandrels. The galleries have panelled wood fronts, raked seating and retain original pews; pews have been removed from elsewhere. The organ, installed in 1911 (a model of 1825 from Trinity Chapel, Mare Street), was rebuilt in its current position at the east end in 1952 in a Gothic-style case. A balcony for preaching sits in front. The platform floor in front of the organ can be removed to reveal a sunken baptistery below, tile-lined with stone steps, added in 1937. The church retains a complete scheme of Art-Nouveau-style stained glass windows installed shortly after opening. Memorial plaques to people associated with the church include two in marble and one in brass, together with a First World War roll of honour. A vestibule was created after the Second World War by partitioning off an area to the back of the auditorium under the gallery, with a parquet floor and timber glazed doors. The two staircases to the gallery, originally accessed directly from the street via side doors on the main façade, are now reached via the vestibule and retain metal balustrades with decorative newel posts and hardwood handrails. Vestries under the balcony at the eastern end were partitioned off in 1937.