Description

BURY ST EDMUNDS

TL8564SW CHURCHGATE STREET
639-1/14/262 (North side)
07/08/52 Unitarian Chapel
(Formerly Listed as:
CHURCHGATE STREET
(North side)
Pentecostal Church)

GV I

Former Unitarian Chapel, originally built as a Presbyterian
Chapel. 1711. In red brick laid in English bond with a fully
hipped plaintiled roof.
EXTERIOR: single-storey, with a moulded brick cornice and a
parapet with a cornice and moulded brick panels. The centre
panel is arched and has a sundial in a circular moulded brick
frame. 4 brick pilasters across the front, 2 enclosing the
central doorway, which has a cornice and broken elliptical
pediment above. Double 10-panel doors. Above the doorway an
elliptical lunette with original lead glazing and a rubbed
brick surround with 4 stone keys carved with acanthus leaf
ornamentation.
The entry is flanked by 2 semicircular-headed windows to the
full height of the storey in semicircular brick arched
recesses with carved brick keystones and moulded stucco sills;
moulded and enriched stone-framed brick panels beneath.
The windows have heavy wooden frames, semicircular gauged
arches to surrounds, semicircular arched mullions and lead
glazing. Brick plinth with stone mouldings. The side
elevations each have 2 tiers of windows. On the upper storey 3
windows with semicircular heads and keystones and
square-leaded 2-light casements with radiating glazing-bars to
the heads. On the ground storey, 3 cross windows with pintle
hinges to the opening upper lights.
INTERIOR: typical interior, galleried on 3 sides, with a
central pillar supporting the roof. All the woodwork and
fittings are of very high quality. Side galleries in 3 bays
and rear gallery in 2 bays supported by moulded timber
columns: the gallery fronts treated like a form of entablature
with a moulded cornice and architrave and a frieze with heavy
raised panels.
Twin stairs to the rear of the gallery with vase-on-reel
balusters, square newels and moulded handrails. Against the
south windows on the inner side of the stairs are panels of
scrolled ironwork, set diagonally. High panelled central
pulpit with sounding board at the north end, approached by a

curved stair with barley-sugar twist balusters and moulded
handrails.
A dado round the walls with sunk panels. Ornate window
latches. Wrought-iron hinges to the outer doors.
(BOE: Pevsner N: Radcliffe E: Suffolk: London: 1974-: 145).

Listing NGR: TL8536764057

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526740

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

• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version