NHER 25534 (Building record) - Middlegate Congregational Church

Middlegate Congregational Church.

August 1974. Listed, Grade II.
Listing Description excerpt:
"Middlegate Congregational Church, now offices. 1870. By JT Bottle. Converted to municipal offices in 1990 by Peter Codling. Cut flint with ashlar dressings. Slate roofs. Nave, aisles, transepts and chancel.
EXTERIOR: the west front has the gabled nave and aisles separated by buttresses rising to pointed finials. Two arched west doors, now glazed, with the doors used internally as shutters. Arched doorway to the aisles also. Five-light west window in geometric style under a flushwork arch. To the right and left returns of the aisles is a projecting staircase turret with a band of encircled quatrefoils. Four aisle bays defined by stepped buttresses and pierced by two and three-light windows. On the south side is a door of 1990. Eight paired clerestory windows. The roof has acquired velux roof lights. The transepts are blind to the west except for an arcade of shallow niches but terminate in their gables ends with large rose windows above a continuing arcade of niches. The east end has a semicircular projection marking the sanctuary dome and several inserted windows.
INTERIOR: divided into offices and floored. The arcade posts are circular. The transept crossing arches are elaborated rooftrusses: arched braces with traceried spandrels. Crown post roof to the west end, the east end has the posts removed."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
E. Rose (NLA), 28 April 1999.Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 14 March 2022.

October 1989. Field Observation.
Found when converting former church to council offices, at base of 6 feet [1.83m] deep hole dug in earth floor beneath boarded floor of church:
Large block of honey coloured stone revealed in side of hole. Stone had been worked. Wrongly reported to Borough Council by anonymous informant as discovery of an undercroft.
Information from J. Read (GYM).
E. Rose (NAU), 25 October 1989.

See report (S2) on fire damage to later lecture hall at rear. This report also contains a brief description of the church of 1870, converted to offices 1990; and the rear lecture hall of 1879 damaged by fire in 1999.
E. Rose (NLA), 17 December 1999.

Gothic style chapel, faced with knapped flint and Bath stone dressings. The west front is of 3 bays with a gabled centre with traceried window of five lights above paired entrances and side bays with chequered gables, gallery entrances and cusped circular windows above. A floor plan and details of monuments are also described.
To the rear of the hall is a lecture hall dated 1879.
Information from (S3), which also includes details of the monuments.
M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 11 October 2012.