Baptist Church

CHARD

ST3308 HOLYROOD STREET 756-1/4/146 (East side) 24/03/50 Baptist Church

GV II*

Church. Dated 1842. Ham Hill stone ashlar facade, rubblestone and brick rear; slate roof. Single room plan with later C19 school rooms to rear. Greek Revival style. 2 storeys, symmetrical one-window range; substantial plinth and 4 rounded steps up to 8-panel double-door set in moulded architrave under cornice supported by consoles; above is a large semicircular-arched window with cast-iron glazing bars, framed by Doric pilasters and a small pediment with antefixae. This is flanked by 2 pairs of full-height Doric pilasters supporting a cornice and pediment which almost spans the facade and bears the raised carved date MDCCCXLII. The ground floor has banded rustication between plinth and a platband above level of the door. INTERIOR: east end has round-arched recess over semicircular-arched cast-iron window with late C19 red and blue glass borders above a substantial pulpit raised on 2 octagonal columns which fan out to support a curved-fronted platform; original 1842 stairs with stick balusters and mahogany rail; balusters to front are of late C19 cast-iron bamboo design. 4-panel doors set in reeded architraves each side of pulpit. East end has incised key pattern to panelling. Gallery to other 3 sides is supported by cast-iron pillars and has cast-iron windows above and original pews; windows below were replaced in 1988. A very fine and complete example. (Stell C: Non-Conformist Chapels and Meeting Houses in SW England: London: 1991-: P.171).

Listing NGR: ST3218408499