United Reformed Church And Attached Walls

TQ 35 SE OXTED BLUEHOUSE LANE

303/6/10045 United Reformed Church and attached walls

II

Congregational, now United Reformed, Church and attached walls. 1934 -35. By Frederick Lawrence, builder E Martin & Son. Reddish-brown brick in Flemish Bond with small decorative brick and tile panels; plain tile roofs. Plan: cruciform plan (orientated north-south, ecclesiastical orientation used here), having nave with west entrance, transepts and central crossing tower; apsidal chancel with north-east vestry and small south-east chamber. In Byzantine style, having round-arched entrances and windows, the former with semi-circular brick steps, stepped surrounds and nail-studded board doors with decorative strap-hinges, the windows with decorative geometric leading; square angle butresses rising above the tall offset parapets which have chamfered coping; lancet windows and raised verges to gables. Square 2-stage tower with pyramidal roof surmounted by cross (of 1959) and one S-light window to each face of upper stage. Nave: west end: at centre, full-height canted bay (entrance lobby) with 3 tall narrow windows; flanking slightly-lower flat-roofed porches with archways to front and side; low brick walls projecting from sides and centre, terminating in square flower-holders, those at centre originally framing a lily pond; 3 windows to north and south sides. Similar fenestration and gable entrances to transepts. Chancel: at east end, canted bay window with 3 tall narrow windows, flanked by paired windows. Interior: round crossing-arches. Parquet floor; decorative marbling to chancel and entrance lobby. Roof has exposed rafters, purlins and ridge-pieces. Panelled, wooden, internal porches. Decorative organ pipes set in east wall of south transept. Matching panelled pews, font, altar and fronts to pulpit and reading-desk areas. Coloured glass to apse windows.

Listing NGR: TQ3941053117