Baptist Church

BRIDGWATER

ST2936NE ST MARY STREET 736-1/11/183 (South side) 24/03/50 Baptist Church

GV II*

Baptist church. 1837. By Edwin Down; galleries added 1870s; partly refitted and extended to the rear c1902. Bath stone ashlar with stucco recess and slate roof. Rectangular plan with schoolrooms to rear. Classical style. Single-storey; symmetrical 2-window range. A pediment over a dentilled cornice spans the facade; it is supported by full-height Ionic columns flanking the deeply recessed centre which has Egyptian-style tapered 2-panel double doors with 2 panels above, set in a moulded architrave with cornice; dated plaque above and smaller doors to sides of recess. The outer bays are each flanked by Tuscan antae and have a semicircular arched window with small panes, moulded architrave and panelled apron above banded rustication. A moulded string-course below the apron continues round central recess. The moulding to base of columns continues round the building as a plinth. Steps up to central range are flanked by c1837 cast-iron lamp standards with rope-pattern moulding on octagonal bases and with C20 lamps. INTERIOR: the church room is virtually complete, rear rooms are being remodelled (1991). A richly moulded cornice to the coved and panelled ceiling continues round a recess to the north end which is curved at the inner corners. Organ, at gallery level, is flanked by paired Corinthian pilasters. Pulpit below is Classical style. The base has 3 semicircular arches with moulded archivolts and fluted keystones over shallow fluted recesses; the central, larger recess has 3 brackets to support projecting panel above; this upper part has 4 moulded semicircular arches, the central 2 project, resting on vase columns. To each side the pulpit stairs curve backward, with square fluted newels and thick vertical moulding to stick balusters. Gallery to sides and south end has a moulded wooden rail over cast-iron trellised panels of leaves, coved beneath to rest on cast-iron capitals with acanthus capitals. Gallery is steeply raked with original numbered wooden pews; clock on south wall reads "Rossiter Bridgwater". Ground floor has wooden pews and c1902 tongued-and-grooved panelling below dado-rail, pairs of double doors to north and south ends may also be c1902; these are 2-panel, leaded panes to top with narrow coloured margins and brass pull handles. The 3 windows to each side reach from just above dado to cornice, they have thin wooden glazing bars and circular opening panels at gallery level. Entrance hall is C20. (Stell C: Non-conformist Chapels and Meeting-Houses in SW England: London: 1991-: 167-9; VCH: Somerset: London: 1992-).

Listing NGR: ST2979436922