City United Reformed Church

Cadw's description

Location

On corner with Windsor Lane.

History

1866 by Thomas Pilkington, of Edinburgh, for a Scottish Presbyterian congregation. Church originally of Greek cross plan with porches to W, N, and S arms, the last rising to form Tower with spire. Unusual style based on Early English Gothic but with North Italian influences, and Pilkington's individual spikiness. In 1873/4, hall added to rear, and church extended to accommodate organ. West front of church extended in 1893 by Col E M Bruce Vaughan, giving more conventional plan, with porch rebuilt on S in 2-storeyed form. The unusual W window was reduced in size, and the arches below blocked. In 1910 church gutted by fire and subsequently renovated again by Bruce Vaughan. North vestibule 1980 by Wyn Thomas & Partners. 1992, gallery converted to upper room; new vestibule and bookshop.

Exterior

Free Gothic style. Pennant stone with bathstone ashlar dressings; pink Radyr stone in voussoirs. Slate roofs laid in diminishing courses. Shallow curves to transeptal wings (N & S). West end gabled with stepped buttresses; unusual plate tracery window (flanked by piers and enclosed in wide trefoil head) of 4 columned trefoil ogee lights surmounted by plate tracery with sexfoil with rope moulding surrounded by band of multi-foils, decorated bathstone keystones in Radyr stone voussoirs. Below this, arcade of 2-centred arches above ground level plinth; quatrefoil windows over. To L, modern entrance block; to R, in angle with S porch, 2 Gothic windows to vestry with arcaded parapet. To S, 2-storey porch with 2-light window to upper floor, and doorway with Radyr stone voussoirs, deep cusping, flanking shafts with foliated capitals. South Tower surmounted by octagonal spire; 4 large louvered openings with Y-tracery and surmounted by steep gables attached to 4 sides at base of spire; at half-height 4 small gablets attached to alternate sides of spire; polygonal SW corner stair. South transept has round-plate-traceried window with 4 trefoils defining cruciform centre. Modern entrance vestibule to N.

Interior

Cruciform plan with longer arm to W. Hammerbeam roof with carved stone angels and foliage corbels. Columns with foliage papitals to angles of crossing. W gallery converted to upper room but retaining wooden frontal; glass screened vestibule below. Raked floor with wooden pews. Polygonal Stone pulpit with green marble shafts, wooden sounding board above, organ behind. South transept stained glass; scenes from life of Christ illustrating virtues (1921).

Reason for designation

Graded II*, despite alterations, a striking example of Pilkington's individualistic Gothic style.