Kilham Memorial Methodist Chapel and Adjoining School, (Epworth Youth Centre)

Details

SE 7803-7903 EPWORTH HIGH STREET (north side)

20/73 Kilham Memorial Methodist Chapel and adjoining school, (Epworth Youth Centre)

GV II

Methodist New Connexion chapel and school, now youth centre. 1859-60, converted to youth centre in 1944; later internal alterations and additions. Red brick in Flemish bond with blue brick and limestone ashlar dressings. Welsh slate roof. L-shaped on plan: 5-bay rectangular chapel aligned north- south, with main entrance to south gable end and annexe to rear with 3-bay school adjoining at right angles to east. Chamfered ashlar-capped plinth, ashlar quoins, and flush blue brick sill band with cross motif throughout. South entrance front, of 2 stages, has low buttresses to each side, central quoined section breaking forward, and lower section of central entrance porch, with low buttresses flanking the shafted jambs of the former outer doorway, the arch and roof now removed. Pointed entrance (former inner doorway) with unsympathetic C20 double doors beneath boarded panel. Advanced central section has pair of single-light traceried ashlar windows beneath blue brick arches flanking the porch, moulded ashlar sill string course and a pair of pointed 2-light traceried ashlar windows beneath blue and red brick arches, their apexes supporting a flush blue and red brick pointed arch containing a polygonal ashlar tablet with a raised Gothic- lettered inscription: ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF ALEXANDER KILHAM 1860

Flanking recessed sections have moulded string courses, single pointed trefoiled ashlar windows (boarded at time of resurvey) in polychrome brick surrounds with small blue brick cross motifs above. Stone-coped gable with carved finial, gablets and shaped kneelers. East and west sides have stone- coped buttresses between bays with quoined lower sections, pointed 2-light traceried ashlar windows beneath blue and red brick arches, moulded brick eaves cornice. Tall swept roof with crested ridge tiles. Later end stack to north. West side of north annexe has small chamfered segmental-pointed ashlar doorway with original board door, and small louvred window to left in segmental-pointed ashlar surround. Single-story school: south front, largely obscured by unsympathetic C20 additions, has segmental-pointed door (former inner door to entrance porch) with square-headed 4-light mullioned- and-transomed ashlar window to left with trefoiled lights. East gable end has square-headed 4-light mullioned-and-transomed window beneath pointed flush panel and small oval light. Interior altered in C20; not investigated. The original ornate carved wooden pulpit and altar rails are in the Wesley Memorial Church on the opposite side of the High Street (qv). Alexander Kilham of Epworth (1762-98) founded in 1797 the breakaway Methodist New Connexion, which in 1907 joined with other groups to form the United Methodist Church. Listed partly for historical interest. W Read, History of the Isle of Axholme, 1858, pp 225-244.

Listing NGR: SE7811003852

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

165134

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Read, W, History of the Isle of Axholme, (1858), 225-244

End of official list entry

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