Cambridge Hall, Kilburn

Tin tabernacle, built in 1863.

MATERIALS: Cambridge Hall is built of corrugated iron surrounding a cast iron and timber frame, with a boarded wooden roof covered in corrugated asbestos. The building stands upon brick plinths.

PLAN: the entrance porch leads to the nave, with aisles to either side. Partitions were added in the 1950s to the western half of the aisles, when the imitation Ton-Class Minesweeper interior was installed. This has created a ‘u-shaped’ range of rooms to the ground floor, with a “galley” walkway above with further rooms. At the east end of the hall, further partitions have created two rooms at ground floor level; the room to the north is currently in use as an officers' mess, with a second room to the south which gives access to the rear yard. At first floor level, there are three rooms behind the ‘bridge’ area.

EXTERIOR: the west elevation fronts onto Cambridge Avenue and has a symmetrical appearance. The central tower has a large, arched door case with a steeply pitched gable above, which houses panelled timber doors with porthole windows. Above, there is a pointed arched window with two lancets with louvres and a quatrefoil above. To either side of the tower there are lancets, followed by large arched windows to the aisles.

The south elevation has six windows spread evenly, with a fire exit to the easternmost bay. The north elevation has three windows, followed by a blocked opening. A late C20 brick-built extension projects and houses a toilet block. The east elevation consists of corrugated iron sheeting with no openings for doors or windows.

INTERIOR: from the entrance porch, the nave is accessed through a pair of timber doors with porthole windows. To each side there are timber partitions which are fronted in steel, apparently salvaged from Leyland buses. These occupy the western portion of each aisle. The rooms at ground floor have a variety of uses; most notably a room to the south houses a consecrated chapel. The rooms at the upper level were not inspected. There are hardwood floors throughout, with the bow of a ship marked out in front of the bridge. There is also some unusual arcading, with cast iron columns with moulded capitals and tall slender wooden arches. The roof has six tiers of purlins and the principal rafters have giant wooden arches with pierced daggers, mouchettes and quatrefoils.

A 1942 Bofors anti-aircraft gun is situated in the centre of the nave, with a 20mm Oerlikon light anti-aircraft cannon to the north-east. The Bofors gun is often referred to as being of Swedish origin, and although this may be the case, Britain had a licence to build them and there is a chance it could be British made. Likewise, the Oerlikon autocannon was a Swiss design but probably British made. It is understood that a 6 foot granite baptismal font remains under the floor to the rear of the Bofors gun, but this was not seen.