Boundary Walls And Gatepiers, Evangical Union Congregational / United Reformed Church Including Halls, Marjoribanks Street

This is an early English Gothic church, halls, and boundary walls constructed in 1894 by J.G. Fairley. The church is rectangular with a gable front and features twin spirelets and miniature flying buttresses. It is built of squared, stugged grey sandstone with ashlar dressings, and a stepped string course is positioned above the entrance level. A central pointed window is adorned with geometric tracery, and two-storey halls and offices are situated at the rear.

The west (principal) elevation has a central timber-panelled door set within a wide pointed arch, sheltered by a triangular pediment and accessed by four stone steps. This is flanked by small lancet windows. Octagonal buttresses rise to gabletted spirelets, featuring octagonal blind arcades. A hood-mould is present above the main window, flanked by applied columns and spires. A round-headed vent and a banded cross are located at the gable apex. Miniature flying buttresses rise to square pinnacles, linked to buttresses also rising to square pinnacles with blind arcades on the outer bays.

The south elevation presents a gabled left-hand bay with a lancet window. Flanking it are broach spirelets on square dies containing double blind lancets. The nave has three pairs of lancets and a single lancet, while the clerestory features circular windows. Two offset buttresses are positioned to the right. A flat-roofed, single-storey link connects to the halls, incorporating two rectangular windows. A gabled hall has five rectangular windows on the ground floor, along with a diamond-traceried oculus and an arrow-loop vent to the gable.

The east elevation shows the gabled chancel end of the church, with a large, flat, diamond-traceried circular window. Flanking this are splayed chimney stacks, set behind the blank wallhead of a single-storey, pitched roof over the halls. The north elevation mirrors the south, but includes a concrete extension for a hall annexe and an entrance to an undercroft to the east. Round-arched windows are present in the hall.

The roof is covered with graded grey slates, featuring pierced clay ridge tiles. Skew stacks are topped with clay cans. Most of the hall and office windows have been replaced, although north-facing windows are leaded. Cast iron rainwater goods are fitted, featuring decorative hoppers.

Inside the church, a timber U-plan gallery is supported by cast iron columns, with blind fretwork to the parapet. Two stone stairs lead to the galleries, featuring wrought iron balusters. The body of the church is boarded to dado height, with boarded timber pews. A false hammer-beam roof with king and queen posts supports a boarded timber ceiling. The organ is housed within a carved timber case, featuring fretwork detailing. The pulpit exhibits trefoil, quatrefoil fretwork, and diaper detail. A stained glass rose window depicts the evangelists and the Lamb of God. The halls have a timber-truss roof, boarded dado and timber-panelled doors.

The boundary walls are constructed of squared snecked rubble with chamfered copes and modern railings. Square-plan gatepiers have gabletted pyramidal copes and wrought-iron railings. Cast-iron lamp standards are present, featuring octagonal lamps and iron fretwork.