Lavington United Reformed Church

The Church (1856-1859)

This is a United Reformed Church built between 1856 and 1859 to designs by EM White of Bideford. It is constructed of coursed rubble stone with limestone details (possibly Beer stone), though the west elevation is rendered. The roof is slate.

The church has a simple oblong plan with a porch at the south (entrance) end and a small square apse at the north, now containing the organ. The main body is galleried, with the rostrum positioned at the north end.

Exterior

The church presents an exotic Gothic design. The front (south) elevation features a gabled central bay containing three windows, with a low gabled entrance porch beneath the middle window. Flanking this are two square projecting towers, each topped with an octagonal steeple and tall octagonal finials at each corner.

The entrance porch has a pointed-arched doorway with multiple mouldings springing from paired shafts. It contains timber double-doors with traceried panels and ornate strap-hinges. The porch is buttressed on either side, and the gable has kneelers and a carved finial surmounted by a cross. Behind the porch rise three very tall pointed-arched windows: the centre window has three transomed lights, those at either side have two. All feature head-tracery, including the lower lights of the centre window, and all three contain coloured and leaded glass. A small traceried light with a pointed head sits in the gable above, with a carved stone cross at the apex.

Each tower contains a two-light window—a plainer version of those in the centre—above which is a round stone panel enclosing a quatrefoil. On the inner face of each tower at ground-floor level is a doorway with a four-centred arch containing a plank door with ornate iron strap-hinges. The towers terminate with heavily-moulded cornices, each with a large gargoyle in the form of male and female heads at the front corners and outer-rear corners (the inner-rear corners are not visible). Above the cornices are open-traceried balustrades with crenellated tops. The finials are plain, each consisting of a base with moulded cornice from which rises an obelisk. The tower spires are divided into six stages by moulded stringcourses, with the lowest stage having four lucarnes and carved finials at the top; the finial on the right tower carries an elaborate iron cross.

On the base of the west tower is a stone plaque inscribed: "THE / GREAT MEETING-HOUSE / WAS BUILT A.D. 1696." A similar plaque on the east tower reads: "THIS / PLACE OF WORSHIP / WAS ERECTED A.D. 1856. / E. M. W. ARCH."

The rear (north) elevation, visible from the Ropewalk, features a large three-light traceried window in the apse with a round traceried window on either side.

Interior

The roof of the main body is low-pitched with moulded beams and carved bosses. The apse roof has arch-braced trusses with open Gothic tracery in the spandrels. Galleries run the length of the east and west walls, carried on triple-shafted cast-iron columns, with Gothic timber-panelling to their fronts. All walls are plastered and plain-painted.

The church contains enclosed timber pews in the centre and side aisles, with Gothic panelling to the pew-ends and linen-fold panelling to their doors, which retain their pew numbers. The gallery and rostrum fronts have similar Gothic panelling. The treads to the rostrum steps have tusked-tenon joints onto the string, akin to an Arts and Crafts-period detail.

The organ at the north end has an elaborate timber Gothic case and was made for the church in 1863 by W Sweetland of Bath. Either side of the rostrum are timber panelled doors with Gothic details and decorative iron door furniture. Adjacent to the east door is a marble memorial to Reverend Samuel Lavington and his wife Mary. Narrower versions of these doors are located at the north end of the galleries.

An inner porch at the south end is a modern addition but continues the Gothic detailing in its glazed panels. Mounted on the inner porch is a large clock made by Ephraim Dyer of Bideford, a relic of the Great Meeting House for which it was made. 20th-century etched-glass double doors lead to the external porch.

Primary Hall and Schoolroom Extension

Attached to the church are a Primary Hall and schoolroom, originally built in 1862 and extended, possibly rebuilt or remodelled, in 1923-1924.

These extensions are constructed of rubble stone with red-brick dressings (west section), while the schoolroom and Primary Hall use a mix of rubble-stone and brick. The roofs are slate with terracotta copings.

Plan and Exterior

The extensions comprise three rectangular sections. The Primary Hall (1862 or remodelled 1923-1924) is accessed from doorways either side of the church's apse. The schoolroom (1923-1924) lies to the north. To the west of the schoolroom, a door leads to an inserted 20th-century corridor, which in turn leads to a two-storey western wing (probably 1862).

The Primary Hall, schoolroom, and attached western wing are of plain, functional design. The western wing has a chamfered stone and red-brick plinth and is three bays wide with gabled end bays. Each bay contains paired windows with red-brick dressings; those in the western gable have pointed heads. Ground-floor windows are timber casements, and there is a panelled timber door at the west end, probably dating to the mid-20th century. First-floor windows are metal casements with opening central lights. At the end of the range, a late-20th-century door within a sandstone surround with keystone leads to the schoolroom. This elevation is constructed of a mix of rubble stone and red brick. The north elevation has four mullioned and transomed timber windows. The east elevation has large 21st-century fixed casements at the upper level in the gable ends of the schoolroom and Hall. Due to the confined site, access to all elevations is not possible and the above description is not exhaustive.

Interior

The two-storey western wing was remodelled in the 20th century to create a corridor and kitchen on the ground floor; these areas have no features of special interest. A 20th-century staircase at the west end leads to a landing corridor with a boarded floor and four small rooms off to the north. The rooms have simple timber-panelled doors set within chamfered architraves. At the east end of the landing is a further timber staircase with chamfered newel posts and an open-panelled baluster (probably 1862). Adjacent to the stairwell is a blocked three-light window with a timber lintel, probably blocked during works to the schoolroom and Hall in 1923 or later.

The schoolroom and Primary Hall are double-height spaces, approximately six-and-a-half bays east to west, defined on the north side by windows as described above and by trussed ceilings with iron cross-ties to both spaces. At the west end of the Hall is a 20th-century triangular roof-light in the hipped-gable end, below which is the inserted structure of the 20th-century corridor containing 20th-century flush double-doors. Two identical 19th-century timber doors lead through to the north end of the church; these have decorative chamfered panelling and moulded architraves. The eastern bay of the schoolroom is partitioned off with a panelled-timber sliding screen (now fixed) with a later glazed partition above, and an identical bi-fold sliding screen in two parts can be used to separate the schoolroom and Hall. Cast-iron columns mark the break between the two spaces. Both spaces have timber matchboard dado panelling and timber mullion and transom windows with top-casements to the north wall, and 20th-century windows on the east elevation as described above. The floors are boarded. Features from the historic ventilation system survive in the Hall.

At the east end of the Primary Hall is a bronze plaque stating: "LAVINGTON PRIMARY HALL / AND SCHOOLROOM EXTENSION / ERECTED 1923. / TO THE GLORY OF GOD / AND AS A / MEMORIAL TO COMMEMORATE / THE SACRIFICES MADE IN THE / GREAT WAR 1914-1918 / IN THE SAME YEAR THE FREEHOLD OF / THE CHURCH SITE WAS ACQUIRED FROM / THE FEOFEES OF BIDEFORD LONG BRIDGE."