The Heritage Chapel and Halls

(Latterly Hope Methodist Church, Park Road)

Rushden Argus, Friday, 22 May 1903.
Transcribed by Greville Watson.

Proposed New Methodist Chapel at Rushden

On Thursday evening a social gathering was held at the Park Road Wesleyan Schoolroom, Rushden, for the purpose of rousing further interest in the projected new chapel, and organising means of raising the needed funds.  The plans which have been prepared and accepted for a new building at the corner of Griffith Street and Park Road were exhibited and carefully examined.

The Rev R.B. Woodward presided, and said that £940 had been promised up to the present towards the building fund, of which sum £546 had already been paid into the bank.

Mr T. Watson gave an explanation of the plans.  He said that the trustees wrote to five different architects and asked them if they would kindly send in competitive drawings.  All agreed, and at the first meeting of the trustees three sets of plans were rejected; whilst at a subsequent meeting the plans of Mr J.J. Green were accepted.  The trustees had stipulated for accommodation for not fewer than 790 adults, which practically meant a mixed congregation of about 900, and the cost was to be as near £4,000 as a maximum as possible.  Extras, etc, were to bring up the amount to about £4,500.  With regard to the style of the building in the selected plans, the Rev John Hornabrook, the secretary of the connexional Chapel Committee, had seen the drawings and had highly approved of them, stating that the styles are very pure Gothic.  On the ground floor there is accommodation for 435 sittings whilst 270 worshippers could be seated in the gallery, which, with 28 in the choir made up a total of 733 adult sittings.  At the entrance was a vestibule, from which two aisles led up the chapel.  At the other end of the building were two transepts, with an aisle up the centre of each.  There were five doors or entrances – two at the front, one to the left hand corner, one to the right hand corner under the tower and spire, and one from Griffith Street leading into the ladies’ parlour, men’s Bible Class room, minister’s vestry, etc.  Inside the chapel, from the back seat to the pulpit the building was fifty-five feet long, the width at the entrance being 40 feet, while at the pulpit end the  transepts gave an extra six feet on either side, making the width in that part 52 feet.  At the rear was a minister’s vestry, 12 feet by 11 feet.  There was also on the ground floor a ladies’ parlour 26 feet long by 19 feet wide, with a small room 10 feet by six feet to be used for making tea, etc.  Over the ladies’ parlour was the room for the men’s Bible Class, that also being 26 feet by 19, each of these rooms having a splendid bay window fronting Griffith Street.  These rooms would accommodate 50 of 60 persons each.  With regard to the outside appearance of the chapel, the elevations and perspective drawings gave a really splendid appearance.  At the corner nearest the junction of Park Road and Griffith Street was a square tower, surmounted by a small but elegant spire.  With regard to question of acoustics, there was no reason to doubt that the acoustic properties would be excellent.  (Applause.)

The Rev D. Pughe gave an encouraging address, and refreshments were then handed round, and collecting books distributed.

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