Hugglescote Station Road Wesleyan chapel (ii), Leicestershire

Hugglescote Station Road Wesleyan chapel (ii) was built of brick in 1891The foundation stones were laid on 21 October by H Hulton Esq, Miss S Chester, T. Cramp, J Pearson, D Taylor, and A Wakerley, Architect (presumably the designer of the building). When it opened the new chapel seated 320. In 1940 the floor of the chapel measured 42 feet by 27 feet seated for 280 persons and the gallery 40, all in pews There schoolroom was 24 feet by 18 feet and there were no other rooms. By 1970 the seating capacity had been reduced to 222, the school seated 146 and there were three classrooms. The chapel has now been closed and the building is occupied by a firm of consultants

Stylistically this is an unusual building. With its square headed windows it is following neither the Romanesque style which had dominated Methodist architecture in Leicestershire for the past few decades (eg Hugglescote Primitive Methodist, also in London Road) or the Gothic which was coming into fashion (eg Coalville Marlborough Square Primitive Methodist of 1903). Decoration is largely confined moulded brickwork, notably in the string courses. The inverted V above the main window is a strange feature and the arch above the main entrance enclosing a decorated tympanum is perhaps an echo of an earlier and more flamboyant age.

Sources

John Rylands Library University of Manchester, MAC Lawson Returns of Accommodation provided by Wesleyan Methodist Chapels and other Preaching Places, Ashby de la Zouche Circuit 1901/638, 1911/603. 1931/611

John Rylands Library University of Manchester, DDPD1 Methodist Church Buildings: Statistical returns including seating accommodation as at July 1st 1940/, 1940/477 Ashby de la Zouche St John’s Circuit

Nottinghamshire Record Office Returns of Accommodation provided by Methodist Chapels and other Preaching Places, 1970 Nottingham and Derby District, 22/20 Coalville Circuit

Site visit 22.10.2022