Former Ebenezer Schools, including associated boundary walls and gateposts and setted yards

Summary

Baptist sunday and day schools of 1872 (altered as community rooms after a fire in 1992 and as a supermarket in 2011), probably by Thomas Bell of Burnley, in a pared-back Italianate style, of buff sandstone.

The single-storey C20 link to the former Baptist chapel of 1860 is not included in the listing.

Reasons for Designation

The Former Ebenezer Schools, a Baptist sunday and day school of 1872 with C20 alterations, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* it is of good quality externally for its period, in particular in the elaborate detailing of its south facade but also to its side returns, with decorative surrounds and glazing bars to windows throughout, and well-detailed chimney stacks;

* the external quality is complemented by the survival of the contemporary boundary walls, gateposts and setted forecourt and side-yard.

Group value:

* for its strong historical functional links and architectural unity with the Former Ebenezer Baptist Chapels (NHLE 1270968).

History

The former Ebenezer Schools was built in 1872. Sunday and day schools were previously held in a cross wing added in 1845 at the west end of the neighbouring original chapel of 1787 (National Heritage List for England (NHLE) entry 1270968). In 1860, the 1845 school was replaced by a new chapel, and the original chapel was adapted for school use. However by 1872 the school had outgrown the former chapel, and this grand new school building was built to the south-west of the 1860 chapel, as a separate building, The architect was reported as being ‘Mr Bell’, probably Thomas Bell of Burnley (1848-1917).

In the 1960s the school and the 1860 chapel were linked, and it was probably around this time that the schools became used as the church hall. The building was listed in 1978. It suffered a serious fire in 1992, following which its interior was re-organised and refurbished, and a second floor added.

The church closed in 2007 and was sold in 2008. In 2011 the ground floor of the school building was converted as a cash and carry supermarket. The first floor is used for muslim prayer. At the time of inspection (November 2024) a tall pier of coursed stonework and ashlar blocks at the north end of the included western boundary wall had been taken down to accommodate works access to the adjacent property at 14 Colne Road.

Details

Baptist sunday and day schools of 1872 (altered as community rooms after a fire in 1992 and as a supermarket in 2011), probably by Thomas Bell of Burnley, in a pared-back Italianate style.

MATERIALS: buff sandstone, slate roof, timber windows.

EXTERIOR: forming part of a group with a strong presence on Colne Road (formerly Burnley Lane). The principal façade faces south. It is of two storeys and symmetrical, of three bays with a pedimented gable, rusticated pilasters to the angles, and a canted plinth. The masonry is coursed and roughly-dressed with freestone dressings, and the openings of each bay set in a full-height recess. The outer bays have one opening per floor, and the centre bay two. The paired central entrances have round-headed doorways (both with replacement doors with eight fielded panels) with chamfered surrounds, carved spandrels and a cornice on brackets spanning the pair, and are flanked by square-headed windows in the outer bays. The first-floor windows are round-headed, with hollow spandrels and large, shaped keystone. The central pair have labels and a similar cornice to that over the doors, supporting a circular surround in the pediment, to a large former clock-face with faded painted Roman numerals. A banner beneath is inscribed EBENEZER SCHOOLS/ AD. 1872.

The eight-window side walls have square-headed windows at the ground floor and round-headed above, with chamfered lintels and a lintel-band to the ground floor, and an impost band to the first floor, and keystones rising to the eaves cornice. The northern two ground-floor windows of the east façade are obscured by the C20 link* with the 1860 chapel. Above this is a corniced eaves chimney stack. The five southernmost first-floor windows of the west façade are blocked.

The north façade also has rusticated pilasters to the angles, and is gabled with a small, corniced bellcote-chimney at the ridge. The ground floor has an inserted entrance and is largely obscured by a modern lean-to sales display area. The first floor has three unevenly-spaced windows with arched heads and tall keystones, and a smaller pair to the left. The gable has a similar window.

INTERIOR: the visible interior over three floors largely comprises modern finishes and suspended ceilings inserted after the fire, but some original roof structure survives in the attic.

SUBSIDIARY ITEMS: to Colne Road is a coursed stone boundary wall with twice-weathered copings, which ramps up to the west of a gateway with decorative stone square gateposts. The western boundary also has a coursed stone wall with rounded coping, which ramps up alongside the building. At its north end a former taller pier of coursed stonework and ashlar blocks was absent at the time of inspection. The forecourt and side yard are setted.

* Pursuant to s1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that the single-storey C20 link between the sunday school and the adjacent 1860 chapel is not of special architectural or historic interest. However any works which have the potential to affect the character of the listed building as a building of special architectural or historic interest may still require listed building consent and this is a matter for the local planning authority to determine.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

467042

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Hartwell, C, Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Lancashire North, (2009), 187
Opening of a new school in Burnley Lane in Burnley Gazette, (22/06/1872), 6

End of official list entry

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