Unitarian Chapel, Liverpool
Encyclopedia
The Unitarian Chapel, Liverpool is in Ullet Road, Sefton Park
, Liverpool
, Merseyside
, England . It is a Grade I listed building and is an active Unitarian
church. It is a member of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
, the umbrella organisation for British Unitarians.
and his son Percy Worthington
. It was built to accommodate a congregation which was founded following the Act of Uniformity 1662
. By the 19th century it was meeting in Renshaw Street Chapel and decided to build a new chapel more in keeping with the important role that Unitarians were playing in the city.
dressings and a slate roof. It is orientated north-south. Its style is Gothic
with Decorated tracery
in the windows. The plan consists of a seven-bay nave with clerestory
, aisles, and a chancel with a small polygonal apse
. At the (ritual) west end is an enclosed three-bay porch with a parapet
. Above this is a circular window with a carved angel at its apex. On the gable
is a three-arched structure which appears like a bell-cote, but it has no bells. The doors are of copper with Art Nouveau
designs by Richard Llewellyn Rathbone. The interior is lined with stone.
and depicts the Last Supper
. The light fittings are in Art Nouveau style. The font
is wooden, designed by Ronald P. Jones and carved by C.J. Allen
. The stained glass was mainly designed by Burne-Jones
and made by Morris & Co.
The organ, made by William Hill, was moved from the Renshaw Street Chapel.
representing the cardinal virtues
of Justice
, Prudence
, Temperance
and Charity
. The library adjoins the vestry and has a vaulted ceiling, again with paintings by Moira, which represent the Triumph of Time.
The walls surrounding the chapel and the hall are made from red brick with stone plinth
s, copings
and dressings. They were built around 1902 and designed by Thomas Worthington. The gates are of wrought iron
. The walls and gates are listed Grade II.
. It is an L-shaped building in red brick with stone dressings and a slate roof in Gothic style. The north range consists of a low cloister
. The east range is the hall which has a canted
bay window on the Ullet Road side and a smaller semicircular bay facing York Avenue. On the roof is a wooden lantern with an ogee
cupola
. Inside is a large fireplace over which are the arms
of Brunner and Tate. In the cloister are monuments, some of which were moved from the Renshaw Street chapel. They include a bust of William Roscoe
by John Gibson
; and monuments to Edward Roscoe who died in 1834, also by Gibson, which includes an angel in profile, representing Hope
; to William Rathbone
who died in 1868 by J. H. Foley
; to Charles Beard who died in 1888 by J. E. Boehm
; and to William Rathbone
who died in 1902, by C. J. Allen.
Sefton Park (district)
Sefton Park is a district within the city of Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom. The area is part of the Liverpool City Council Ward of Mossley Hill.The district surrounds the park from which it takes its name, i.e. Sefton Park...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, England . It is a Grade I listed building and is an active Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
church. It is a member of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches is the umbrella organisation for Unitarian, Free Christian and other liberal religious congregations in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1928, with denominational roots going back to the Great Ejection of 1662...
, the umbrella organisation for British Unitarians.
History
The chapel was built between 1896 and 1898 to a design by Thomas WorthingtonThomas Worthington (architect)
Thomas Worthington was a 19th-century English architect, particularly associated with public buildings in and around Manchester.-Early life:...
and his son Percy Worthington
Percy Worthington
Sir Percy Scott Worthington was an English architect.He was born in Crumpsall, Manchester, the eldest son of the architect Thomas Worthington. He was educated at Clifton College, Bristol and Corpus Christi College, Oxford, where he graduated in 1887, and he qualified as an architect in 1890. He...
. It was built to accommodate a congregation which was founded following the Act of Uniformity 1662
Act of Uniformity 1662
The Act of Uniformity was an Act of the Parliament of England, 13&14 Ch.2 c. 4 ,The '16 Charles II c. 2' nomenclature is reference to the statute book of the numbered year of the reign of the named King in the stated chapter...
. By the 19th century it was meeting in Renshaw Street Chapel and decided to build a new chapel more in keeping with the important role that Unitarians were playing in the city.
Structure
The building is of red brick with red sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
dressings and a slate roof. It is orientated north-south. Its style is Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
with Decorated tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
in the windows. The plan consists of a seven-bay nave with clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
, aisles, and a chancel with a small polygonal apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. At the (ritual) west end is an enclosed three-bay porch with a parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
. Above this is a circular window with a carved angel at its apex. On the gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
is a three-arched structure which appears like a bell-cote, but it has no bells. The doors are of copper with Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
designs by Richard Llewellyn Rathbone. The interior is lined with stone.
Fittings and furniture
The reredos is by H. H. Martyn of CheltenhamCheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
and depicts the Last Supper
Last Supper
The Last Supper is the final meal that, according to Christian belief, Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "communion" or "the Lord's Supper".The First Epistle to the Corinthians is...
. The light fittings are in Art Nouveau style. The font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
is wooden, designed by Ronald P. Jones and carved by C.J. Allen
C.J. Allen
Charles John Allen was a British sculptor, a figure in the New Sculpture movement.Born in Greenford, Middlesex, Allen studied at the Lambeth School of Art and then apprenticed with the London architectural sculpture firm Farmer & Brindley in 1879 and became the assistant to Hamo Thornycroft for...
. The stained glass was mainly designed by Burne-Jones
Edward Burne-Jones
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Baronet was a British artist and designer closely associated with the later phase of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, who worked closely with William Morris on a wide range of decorative arts as a founding partner in Morris, Marshall, Faulkner, and Company...
and made by Morris & Co.
Morris & Co.
Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. and its successor Morris & Co. were furnishings and decorative arts manufacturers and retailers founded by the Pre-Raphaelite artist and designer William Morris...
The organ, made by William Hill, was moved from the Renshaw Street Chapel.
Vestry, library, wall and gates
The vestry lies to the right of the chancel and was completed in 1902. It contains a fireplace, over which is a low relief depicting the rising sun. On the ceiling are four painted roundels by Gerald MoiraGerald Moira
Gerald Edward Moira was an English painter who became best known for his murals.Gerald Moira was born in London, the son of a former Portuguese diplomat who became a miniature painter. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1891. His first commission for a mural was by J. Lyons and Co. for...
representing the cardinal virtues
Cardinal virtues
In Christian traditionthere are 4 cardinal virtues:*Prudence - able to judge between actions with regard to appropriate actions at a given time*Justice - proper moderation between self-interest and the rights and needs of others...
of Justice
Justice (virtue)
Justice is one of the four cardinal virtues in classical European philosophy and Roman Catholicism. It is the moderation between selfishness and selflessness....
, Prudence
Prudence
Prudence is the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason. It is classically considered to be a virtue, and in particular one of the four Cardinal virtues .The word comes from Old French prudence , from Latin...
, Temperance
Temperance (virtue)
Temperance has been studied by religious thinkers, philosophers, and more recently, psychologists, particularly in the positive psychology movement. It is considered a virtue, a core value that can be seen consistently across time and cultures...
and Charity
Charity (virtue)
In Christian theology charity, or love , means an unlimited loving-kindness toward all others.The term should not be confused with the more restricted modern use of the word charity to mean benevolent giving.- Caritas: altruistic love :...
. The library adjoins the vestry and has a vaulted ceiling, again with paintings by Moira, which represent the Triumph of Time.
The walls surrounding the chapel and the hall are made from red brick with stone plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
s, copings
Coping (architecture)
Coping , consists of the capping or covering of a wall.A splayed or wedge coping slopes in a single direction; a saddle coping slopes to either side of a central high point....
and dressings. They were built around 1902 and designed by Thomas Worthington. The gates are of wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
. The walls and gates are listed Grade II.
Church Hall
The church hall was built in 1901 to a design by Percy Worthington and is a Grade I listed building. It was given to the church by John Brunner and Henry TateHenry Tate
Sir Henry Tate, 1st Baronet was an English sugar merchant and philanthropist, noted for establishing the Tate Gallery, London.-Life and career:...
. It is an L-shaped building in red brick with stone dressings and a slate roof in Gothic style. The north range consists of a low cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
. The east range is the hall which has a canted
Cant (architecture)
Cant is the architectural term describing part, or segment, of a facade which is at an angle to another part of the same facade. The angle breaking the facade is less than a right angle thus enabling a canted facade to be viewed as, and remain, one composition.Canted facades are a typical of, but...
bay window on the Ullet Road side and a smaller semicircular bay facing York Avenue. On the roof is a wooden lantern with an ogee
Ogee
An ogee is a curve , shaped somewhat like an S, consisting of two arcs that curve in opposite senses, so that the ends are parallel....
cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
. Inside is a large fireplace over which are the arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Brunner and Tate. In the cloister are monuments, some of which were moved from the Renshaw Street chapel. They include a bust of William Roscoe
William Roscoe
William Roscoe , was an English historian and miscellaneous writer.-Life:He was born in Liverpool, where his father, a market gardener, kept a public house called the Bowling Green at Mount Pleasant. Roscoe left school at the age of twelve, having learned all that his schoolmaster could teach...
by John Gibson
John Gibson (architect)
John Gibson was an English architect born in Warwickshire.Gibson was an assistant to Sir Charles Barry and assisted him in the drawings of the Houses of Parliament....
; and monuments to Edward Roscoe who died in 1834, also by Gibson, which includes an angel in profile, representing Hope
Hope (virtue)
Hope is one of the three theological virtues in Christian tradition. Hope being a combination of the desire for something and expectation of receiving it, the virtue is hoping for Divine union and so eternal happiness...
; to William Rathbone
William Rathbone V
-Life:A member of the noted Rathbone family of Liverpool, he was the eldest son of William Rathbone IV and Hannah Mary . He was a Liverpool merchant in partnership with Richard Rathbone, his brother....
who died in 1868 by J. H. Foley
John Henry Foley
John Henry Foley , often referred to as JH Foley, was an Irish sculptor, best known for his statues of Daniel O'Connell in Dublin, and of Prince Albert in London. Both are still considered iconic in each city.-Life:...
; to Charles Beard who died in 1888 by J. E. Boehm
Joseph Boehm
Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, 1st Baronet, RA was a medallist and sculptor, best known for the Jubilee head of Queen Victoria on coinage, and the statue of the Duke of Wellington at Hyde Park Corner.-Biography:...
; and to William Rathbone
William Rathbone VI
William Rathbone VI was an English merchant and businessman noted for his philanthropic and public work...
who died in 1902, by C. J. Allen.