Chapel Of St Martin

MIDFORD ROAD, Odd Down (South side)

Chapel of St Martin 11/08/72

GV II

Formerly known as: Church of the Holy Trinity MIDFORD ROAD Odd Down. Chapel to former Union Workhouse. Opened April 1846, designed by GP Manners, built by John Plass, see below. MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar, slate roof. PLAN: Single cell building in five bays, with bell-cote, plus deep west porch, and small porch or vestry to south, all in Early English style, to steeply pitched roof. EXTERIOR: Porch has pair of plank doors with strap hinges in bold double chamfered arch on six stone steps and to set back buttresses, and small door on six steps each side. West gable has bellcote. Main body has deep two-stage buttresses, set back at corners, with weathered offset at sill level and gabled tops, and octagonal corner pinnacles. Lancet windows are set to deep splay, with sill band, and with moulded drip course carried across between buttresses as string, at east end triple stepped lancet under small quatrefoil light. Deep frieze band on continuous dentils, stepped with gables. Vestry has small plank studded door and lancet. INTERIOR: All in unplastered ashlar, five-bay nave of full width with queen-post roof trusses and three ranges of wind bracing. Lancets to simple splays. To right small plank door to confessional, formerly vestry, and at rear full width gallery with painted panelled front, on two cast iron columns, sloping plastered soffit. Plank doors to lobby, narrow passageway with no embellishment. Floor in plain wood strip, chancel on three steps, and two to sanctuary, all carpeted. FITTINGS: Low octagonal wood pulpit, small octagonal stone font, and benches. Altar in fine carved oak, Decalogue boards on walls each side, various monumental plaques. HISTORY: One tablet records the "First stone laid by Tristram Whitter under the auspices of G.W Blathwayt Esq.... " and notes that the chapel was "...as far as practicable ...built by inmates of the Union Workhouse, for whose spiritual benefit it was designed ...", also, in the lobby, a tablet to John Plass, inmate, who, at the age of 78, "...laid all the stone..."; he died in 1849, aged 82. A bold statement in convincing Early English detail, the detail and finishes possibly aimed at the relatively unskilled labour to be employed. The building of so prominent a chapel at the workhouse shows the rising influence of the High Church party, and their desire to create a forceful religious presence at an otherwise Utilitarian establishment.

Listing NGR: ST7424862221