Former English Congregational Church

Location

A prominent feature of New Street.

History

The English Congregationalists launched an appeal to raise funds for a new church in 1844: an engraving of the proposed church (and as built) is dated 1844, naming the architect as J.Vaughan of Oswestry. No longer used as a church, it is now a shop.

Exterior

Gable facing the street is yellow terracotta; other elevations are local rubble with brick dressings. Slate roof. Wide gable articulated by 3 stepped arches with foliate capitals to shafts and nail-head enrichment to arches. Highest central arch houses doorway and Y-traceried window above, both similarly enriched. Y-traceried windows in outer arches, which are recessed above the plinth. Foliate capitals to outer pilasters, and coping to gable. Similar smaller entrance in gabled porch to the side of the building to the right. Return elevations are blind, but articulated by thin pilaster buttresses. Canted projection to E end has simple Y-traceried windows, the central one blind.

Interior

An undivided space with a gallery carried on cast-iron columns to the W. 4 king-post collar trusses with traceried panels braced and sprung from wall-posts. Shallow canted E end (formerly housing organ), recessed behind arch with foliate capitals and nail-head enrichment. Similar detail to flanking windows, which have stained glass.

Reason for designation

The building retains much of its character even though it is no longer in use as a church. An unusually early example of its style, the building is also notable for the exceptional quality of the terracotta work to the principle elevation.