Methodist Church And Attached Walls And Piers

This is a Methodist church, built around 1909. It is located on Monkton Hill, Chippenham. The church is constructed of limestone ashlar, with a basement of coursed rubblestone that incorporates freestone quoins and architraves, and has a slate roof.

The building is rectangular, with a symmetrical facade of five windows. A modillion cornice and blocking course run along the building's exterior. The two outer ranges and the front returns are stepped forward, creating corner towers, between which a dentilled pediment with a keyed oculus sits above the central three ranges. The windows are two-light designs with leaded lights. The first-floor windows have semicircular arches with moulded archivolts and keystones; the front windows and those in the towers have plain fanlights, while the corner tower windows are taller. Below, the windows are taller and wider, with double doors to the right-hand opening and a modillion cornice above the columns. Ground-floor tower windows and basement windows have flat arches and moulded architraves. There are four windows to each return, articulated by plain pilasters; the first-floor windows have moulded archivolts that extend down to the sill of the flat-arched ground-floor windows. The first-floor windows are tall with semicircular arches to each light and a circular pane at the top. A semicircular arch serves as an entrance toward the rear, and a two-storey lean-to is attached to the rear of the building.

The basement extends to the front, forming a platform with steps to the left, and is constructed of rubblestone with an ashlar wall and gabled piers to the corners. The site was purchased in 1900, and the ground was cleared and excavated by members of the church between 1902 and 1903. The church was intended to commemorate the centenary of Methodism in Chippenham. The interior of the church was not inspected. Stop-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops are present.