The Worthing Tabernacle

The Worthing Tabernacle is a nonconformist church and church hall, thought to have been built in 1897 by Lund, although rainwater heads are dated 1908. The front elevation is of snecked rubble with Bath stone dressings, while the other elevations are of stock brick with red brick dressings. The roof is slate. The west front features a central gable with a cross-shaped saddlestone, flanked by octagonal pinnacles that transition into first-floor square buttresses with inset columns and buttresses to the ground floor. A central rose window has six trefoiled headed lancets and a quatrefoil band below. A stone band separates the floors. The ground floor has a central triple round-headed window flanked by single round-headed windows, all connected by a hood moulding. Wings incorporate double mullioned windows to the first floor and gabled entrances with round-headed arches supported by engaged granite columns. Each entrance has an eight-light fanlight with Art Nouveau glazing and double plank doors with large decorative hinges. The side elevations are of stock brick in Flemish bond, with red brick dressings. Two gables feature three lancet windows each to the first floor, connected by a hood moulding, and casements to the ground floor with dogtooth moulded stone voussoirs above. The church hall at the rear is built of similar materials with two gables.

Inside, the church has two bays supported by tall iron plumed capitals. There is a round-headed chancel arch with a granite column and pendants. A large, curved wooden pulpit is supported by two twisted columns and incorporates two curved staircases with elaborate iron railings. The east rose window contains stained glass floral panes. Side walls have triple lancet windows, disrupted by a curved wooden balcony with kingfisher roundels at the top. The west window has floral decoration. The balcony features diagonally placed boarding, quatrefoil carving, and brattishing, with original iron lamp brackets still attached. The walls of the gallery also retain original iron lamp brackets. The interior features original curved wooden pews and an unusual roof structure boarded with modified curved braces held together with iron tie rods. A rear vestibule contains a fireplace with an Art Nouveau pomegranate motif, and the staircase to the Minister’s office has elaborate cast iron balusters and scrolled tread ends. The front vestibule’s staircase has elaborate cast iron balusters and double doors with elaborate brass handles and Art Nouveau tracery.