Listed Building record MDO15367 - Richmond Hill United Reformed Church, Bourne Avenue, Bournemouth

Formerly Congregational Church, built 1890-1, by Lawson and Donkin in an elaborate free Late Gothic style, of Purbeck stone with Bath stone dressings.

Formerly Congregational, 1890-1, by Lawson and Donkin. Large and elaborate free Late Gothic, Purbeck stone with Bath stone dressings. North-west tower with octagonal third stage of gabled windows clasped by polygonal pinnacles (with far-projecting gargoyles); on this a smaller octagonal lantern with gabled windows, supported by flying buttresses, carrying short spire with iron finial. West front has lean-to narthex with 8-light window over (ogee hoodmould); south-west porch with polygonal front and traceried parapet. North and south flanks with lean-to aisles (3-light straight-headed windows) and big gabled 4-light clerestory windows. Transept gables have pair of tall 4-light windows with transom, with traceried rose window over, elaborate foliage carving to gabled north transept doorway. Interior with narrow passage aisles, pair of arches and 1 clerestory window embraced by each bay of ribbed timber coving to roof, carried on pink granite wall shafts with black shaft rings and foliage capitals. Centre of roof has arched braces, making overall trefoil section, canted boarding between, with openwork foliage panels on wallplate. West gallery and transept galleries with arcaded fronts, front 10 rows of main pews arranged in semi-circle, extending into transepts. Apse polygonal, with ribbed timber vault, also on pink granite wall shafts with foliage capitals. Big circular pulpit with foliage panels between buttresses, and pink granite columns. Joined at east to Sunday Schools and halls (altered and enlarged 1953).

<1> Stell, C, 1991, An Inventory of Nonconformist Chapels and Meeting-Houses in South-West England, 137-8 (Monograph). SDO11597.

<2> Department of the Environment, 15-Feb-1994, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Borough of Bournemouth amendment 1994 (Scheduling record). SWX4461.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1486847 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 29 2024 4:31PM