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Grade II* listed 19th century Wesleyan Methodist chapel, with a demolished part of the building once used as a school
Built 1837-8, non-conformist chapel in quasi-early English style (exterior only). Three bay front with projecting central entrance bay and five bay return. Very rare, unaltered gothic interior with galleries on four sides carried on elongated corinthian columns of cast-iron. Octagonal stone pulpit <1>.
Restoration of the church was undertaken in 1982. Wesley Hall at the back of the chapel was used as a day school. This building was demolished in 1989 <2><9>. Photographs in West Berkshire Museum show the frontage of the building before it was demolished <16>.
Pevsner's Revised Guide <8> says the church was possibly designed by its builders Job & Thomas Handson. An account of Methodism in the Newbury area, including details about the several local chapels and their construction, was written in 1990 <9>. The church in Northbrook Street was threatened with demolition in the 1970s, but was listed at Grade II* in 1977 <1>.
The West Berkshire Museum has a photograph showing an engraving of the Sunday and day school around 1858 <17>.
The Berkshire Record Office <18> holds some 20th century material relating to the Wesleyan Day School in Newbury, which may have been in this building.
| <01> | Department of the Environment. 1974-2000?. DOE List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. [Unpublished document / SWB10006] |
| <02> | Newbury Standard. 1989. Demolition leaves just memories. [Article in serial / SWB13508] |
| <03> | Money, W. 1905 & 1972. A Popular History of Newbury (also Walter Money's History of Newbury). p161-2. [Monograph / SWB11278] |
| <04> | Allen, J R L. 2007. Late Churches and Chapels in Berkshire - A geological perspective from the late eighteenth century to the First World War. BAR Series 432. p27, 32, Figs 3.13, 4.9. [Monograph / SWB147258] |
| <05> | Dolbey, G W. 1981. Proceedings of the Wesley Historical Society. 43, 2. p25-6 Northbrook Street church, Newbury by G W Dolbey, Ill p24-5. [Article in serial / SWB147750] |
| <06> | Stell, C. 1991. An Inventory of Nonconformist Chapels and Meeting-Houses in South-West England. p10. [Monograph / SWB147874] |
| <07> | Pevsner, N. 1966. The Buildings of England (Berkshire). p181. [Monograph / SWB10024] |
| <08> | Tyack, G, Bradley, S and Pevsner, N. 2010. The Buildings of England (Berkshire). p395. [Monograph / SWB147855] |
| <09> | Booker, J. 1990. Thy Chartered Freemen - A brief history of the growth of Methodism in the Newbury area. Illusts Figs 10, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24. [Monograph / SWB13978] |
| <10> | Historic England (previously English Heritage). ?-present. NMR Buildings Files on Historic England Archive. BF088226. [Index / SWB147173]
https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/photos/ (Accessed 21/04/2020) |
| <11> | Tiller, K (ed). 2010. Berkshire Religious Census 1851. p64, No 278. [Monograph / SWB148619] |
| <12> | Berkshire Record Office. 2013?. Berkshire Record Office Guide to School Records - West Berkshire. Newbury - Newbury Wesleyan, Newbury Wesleyan Infants. [Unpublished document / SWB148439]
https://www.berkshirerecordoffice.org.uk/storage/app/media/pdfs/Source%20guides/West-Berks-Schools-guide-A4-final.pdf (Accessed on 23/06/2021) |
| <13> | Page and Ditchfield (eds). 1924. Victoria County History (VCH) Berks IV 1924. Vol 4. p150. [Monograph / SWB10281]
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol4 (Accessed 24/09/2015) |
| <14> | Various. 1841-1880. Plans and drawings of Berkshire schools. [Unpublished document / SWB148160] |
| <15> | Davis, Cornelius. 1849. Davis' Ten Miles round Newbury, 1849. Ref No 33 'Wesleyan Chapel'. [Map / SWB13949] |
| <16> | Museum Curator. Newbury Museum Accession Records (West Berkshire Museum since 1998). 2022 WBC Network. NEBYM:1979.72.282; 1996.125.107. [Unpublished document / SWB14452] |
| <17> | Museum Curator. Newbury Museum Accession Records (West Berkshire Museum since 1998). 2022 WBC Network. NEBYM:1988.85.3. [Unpublished document / SWB14452] |
| <18> | Berkshire Record Office. 2013?. Berkshire Record Office Guide to School Records - West Berkshire. Newbury - Wesleyan Day School. [Unpublished document / SWB148439]
https://www.berkshirerecordoffice.org.uk/storage/app/media/pdfs/Source%20guides/West-Berks-Schools-guide-A4-final.pdf (Accessed on 23/06/2021) |