First Church Of Christ Scientist, With Forecourt And Balustrades

CLAVERTON STREET (South side) First Church of Christ Scientist, with forecourt and balustrades (Formerly Listed as: CLAVERTON STREET Church of the Nazarene) 11/08/72

GV II

Temperance Hall now Christian Science Church. Dated 1847. MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar, slate roofs. PLAN: Small single cell trapezoidal building, set to narrow site with complex levels. EXTERIOR: Main floor raised on lower ground floor, entered at narrow pedimented end by set of steps to small triangular forecourt. Four Doric pilasters carry full entablature, returned to long sides, and moulded closed pediment with central blocking with sunk panel and capping. Frieze inscribed TEMPERANCE HALL A.D.1847'. Central pair of panelled doors in moulded architrave with segmental pediment, single step continued as plinth. South front, to St Mark's Road, three bays, with identical flat pilasters, and twelve-pane sashes in moulded architraves, and sills on brackets. Slight plinth dies to pavement, left. North front, to Claverton Street, identical, has lower floor with channelled ashlar to broad platband, with two small twelve-pane sashes and central panelled door with transom light and moulded architrave. Small plinth dies to pavement to left. West end, wider than entrance front, plain, with end pilasters, and broad pediment with wide blocking course. Forecourt contained by pierced balustrade in three panels to four square piers, whole coped, with blockings to piers. Offset plinth in plain ashlar, returned to entrance. Small spear head iron gate with bold scrolled overthrow, with broad pier to left and narrow to right. Gate gives to seven square edged steps in flanking ashlar walls rising to stone paved forecourt. INTERIOR: Not inspected. HISTORY: The building was used by theInternational Order of Good Templars¿ and the Independent Order of Rechabites (Temperance Friendly Society), two manifestations of the Nonconformist Temperance Movement then beginning to get underway. In 1963 it became theChurch of the Nazarene¿, eventually being adapted to become the First Church of Christ Scientist in 1991. SOURCE: M. Scott, Discovering Widcombe & Lyncombe (2nd ed 1993), 48.

Listing NGR: ST7525264225