York Historic Environment Record

Wesleyan Methodist Chapel and attached lecture hall; now Pentecostal Church. Lecture hall later C19. Chapel by James Simpson of Leeds; lecture hall extension at rear possibly by GT Andrews.

MATERIALS: chapel of orange-red brick in Flemish bond, on sandstone ashlar plinth; portico, dressings and chamfered quoins of sandstone; roof obscured by rendered parapet with stone coping. Extension of pink-cream mottled brick in Flemish bond, timber eaves cornice on shaped brackets, and hipped slate roofs.

EXTERIOR: chapel front: 2 storeys, 5 bays, outer bays wider than the inner ones. Three centre bays, approached by flight of steps, grouped to form tristyle portico of tripled antae with moulded bases, necking bands of anthemion and egg-and-dart moulding, and full entablature. Glazed double doors are C20 replacements beneath semicircular fanlights in round arched architraves with keyblocks and pilaster responds with moulded imposts. Windows on both floors have round-arched, keyed architraves: ground floor windows have plain sills on block brackets and moulded cornices on carved consoles: first floor windows have moulded sills on shaped consoles in plain sill band, and architraves with segmental pediments. Moulded eaves string and dentil cornice surmounted by parapet with flat coping, interrupted by pilaster piers. Left and right returns: 2 storeys, 7 bays. Details repeat those of main front, except that ground floor windows are segment-headed. Extension has part-glazed double doors beneath small-pane overlights. Other windows largely 12-pane sashes with thin glazing bars, painted stone sills and cambered heads beneath flat arches.

INTERIOR: main entrance doors in keyed round-arched doorcases with sunk panelled pilasters. Foyer panelled to full height with partly fluted Ionic pilasters and moulded transverse beams carrying tunnel vaulted ceiling. Glazed and panelled screen to auditorium incorporates 8-panel doors beneath panels carved with volutes and grapes: in centre, First World War memorial panel cast with St George and Dragon and the names of "members of the Church and congregation" who gave their lives. All panelling is raised and fielded. At each side, panelled doors lead to gallery staircases which are open string with turned bobbin balusters, three to a tread, scrolled tread ends, and mahogany handrail, wreathed at foot around turned newel. Auditorium has oval gallery on cast-iron Composite columns, with oak panelled front. On ground floor, walls panelled to dado rail beneath moulded round window arches linked by impost band. Coved modillion cornice enriched with egg-and-dart mouldings beneath coffered and panelled ceiling. At north-west end, massive mahogany pulpit approached by stair with cast-iron balustrade and, above, organ in mahogany case, by James Binns of Bramley, Leeds. Original fitted pewing survives almost complete in auditorium and gallery: pulpit rail dismantled and in store. All windows except for one in auditorium contain good stained glass. Fine Art Nouveau glazing of fanlights, foyer screen and gallery windows. Extension: 2 open string staircases, linked by first floor gallery, have slender column-on-vase balusters with moulded handrail wreathed at foot of stairs around similar newel. Panelled double doors beneath glazed screen lead to full-height main hall of 3 bays articulated by pilasters on high plinth, separated by shallow segment-headed niches. Moulded cornice to coved ceiling with glazed central roof-light, now painted over, and cast-iron ventilation grilles. Tall folding doors close hall off from annexe. Rooms flanking left side of hall retain plain fireplaces with heavy mantelshelves on shaped consoles. (Pace GG: Bishophill: York: York: 1974-: 4, 25).
Listing NGR: SE5988451511

Derived from English Heritage LB download dated: 22/08/2005

Information from NMR

(SE 5990 5153) Lecture Hall (NAT)
(SE 59885152) Wesley Chapel (Methodist) (NAT) (1)

1. 5343 PRIORY STREET (north-east side) Wesley Chapel and Lecture Hall with forecourt railings and lamp standards SE 5951 NE 15/397 25.6.82 Grade II*
2. 1856. Architect, James Simpson of Leeds. Italianate style. Brick with stone dressings; 2 storeys; 5 windows in moulded architraves with segmental pediments on consoles; sill band; entrance of 3
semi-circular headed doorways with heavy pilasters and foliated caps, plain frieze and cornice, 6-panelled divided doors and steps up; 7 windows to sides; stone modillion eaves cornice; parapet. Interior has oval gallery and decorated plaster ceiling. Including rear wing containing Lecture Hall cast iron railings over forecourt and 2 lamp standards. (2)

Sources
1 VIRTUAL CATALOGUE ENTRY TO SUPPORT NAR MIGRATION OS 1:2500 1962
2 List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. DOE(HHR) City of York, N.Yorks, June 1983, 281

BF060245 WESLEY CHAPEL, YORK File of material relating to a site or building.