Description

BARNSTAPLE

SS5533SE BEAR STREET
684-1/7/22 (North side)
31/08/88 Christ Church
(Formerly Listed as:
BEAR STREET
(North side)
Thorne Memorial Methodist Chapel)

GV II

Methodist chapel, originally built for the Bible Christians.
1875-6. By WC Oliver, who remodelled it and added the tower in
1891-2. Carved woodwork by Harry Hems of Exeter; pulpit by a
Mr Gillet. Purplish, coursed and squared stone rubble with
horizontal bands of limestone in the tower; coursed and
squared slatestone rubble at the back. Details, both front and
back, are in limestone, with some polished pink granite at the
front. Slated roofs with pierced red ridge-tiles; spire
leaded. Plan consists of an oblong galleried chapel with small
5-sided apse at the N end. Foyer at S end, fronting Bear
Street; square tower at SW corner. Minister's room contrived
in ground storey of apse.
2-stage front to Bear Street in Early English style. In centre
is the gabled end of the main chapel range with 3-light Gothic
window in each stage, the arches springing from attached
columns; window in upper storey has taller central light, the
whole set in a shallow recess with pointed arch. Lower
sections at each side contain doorways to foyer, 2 on the
right and one on the left; these have moulded pointed arches
and attached columns of pink granite. Upper stage has 2
windows of 2 lights, with plate tracery on right-hand side;
2-light window with pointed arches springing from attached
columns on left-hand side.
3-stage tower with moulded string courses between the stages.
Lowest stage has doorway with pointed arch, the latter
enclosed by a gabled hood with carved finial. 3-light window
in middle stage with similar hoods to each light, the arches
springing from attached columns. Uppermost stage has 3 slit
windows with pointed arches in each face. Bracketed top
cornice, surmounted by parapet with trefoil-headed panels;
large square finial at each corner with similar panels. Short
spire with patterned leading and gabled ventilator in each
face; decorated lightning conductor on top.
INTERIOR is of considerable quality. Galleries on all 4 sides
carried on cast-iron columns with foliated capitals. Gallery
fronts have enriched openwork cast-iron panels. Further
columns rise to support the roof, with decorative cast-iron
brackets rising to the wall-plates. Roof has arch-braced
trusses combined with trussed common rafters. Elaborately
carved pulpit at N end with fluted and twisted columns
flanking open Gothic panels; 3 good chairs underneath with
Gothic decoration. At E end a wooden screen dividing off the
foyer; upper panels with trefoiled arches and coloured glass.
In gallery above it an organ of 1880.
The Church Hall of 1939, which adjoins the chapel on the E, is
not included in the listing.
(Leaflet on history of chapel).

Listing NGR: SS5598833344

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26664809

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

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  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
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  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
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  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
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  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings