First Church Of Christ Scientist And Sunday School Including Lamp Standards, Railings, Area Wall, Gate Piers And Gates To North

The First Church of Christ Scientist and Sunday School was built in 1926, with a Sunday school added in 1933. The building's architect was W.J. Dacombe. It is constructed of plumb-coloured Flemish bond brick with vitrified headers and dressings of Ham Hill stone, and has a pantile hipped roof. The building is in a Neo-Georgian style. The north front features a pedimented centre with a tetra style portico in antis, featuring Ionic columns. The entablature above the portico extends around the lower bays to the left and right, and around the east and west sides, broken by round-arch windows. At the rear is a two-storey Sunday school with broad stone bands, a stepped parapet, and groups of narrow windows. Original features include wrought-iron lamp standards, railings, an area wall, gate piers, and gates to the north. The interior of the auditorium is intact, with broad pilasters along the east and west walls, alternating with round-arch windows, an entablature above, and a coffered ceiling. It contains a rostrum, two reading desks (one for scriptures, one for extracts from Mary Baker Eddy's Science and Health), and raked seating. There is a large Sunday school at the rear, reflecting the historical practice of Christian Scientists not attending the adult church before the age of 21. The building represents a good example of a Christian Science Church, notable for its impressive facade.