Easton Methodist Church

Easton Methodist Church

Easton Methodist Church is a Wesleyan-Methodist church, opened in 1907, located in Easton village, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. It was built between 1906–07.[1] The church, along with its former manse and boundary walls, has been a Grade II* Listed since May 1993.[2] Its church hall was formerly a Wesleyan school, dated 1878 on the porch. The school, with the boundary wall, was designated Grade II in May 1993.[2] The church remains active to date, as part of the Portland Methodist Circuit – which involves two churches; Underhill Methodist Church and Easton Methodist Church.[3]

History

Easton Methodist Church, with the 1878 Wesley School on the left

At Park Road, a Methodist Chapel had served the Easton community since 1858. However by the early 20th century the roof was in danger of collapsing. It was decided to built a new church at Easton Square, overlooking the newly-formed Easton Gardens. The funds for the church were raised over four years, namely through teas and bazaars. In 1906 the foundation stone was laid, and the builders, Wakeham Brothers of Plymouth, completed the church the following year. At the time they had just completed the Portland Bill Lighthouse in 1906. The church opened on 12 September 1907, as the Easton Wesleyan Church. As part of the opening celebration, various sailor crews erected bunting across Easton Square.[4]

The Methodist movement in Underhill had also seen a new church within the same period. By the end of the 19th century Robert Brackenbury's Georgian Methodist chapel of 1792, located in Fortuneswell, had fallen into a poor condition, and was also not large enough to serve the population. A new church was constructed next to the original 1792 chapel, and the pseudo-Gothic Brackenbury Memorial Church was opened in 1900. The original chapel was demolished by 1903.[5]

Easton Methodist Church is still active today as part of the Portland Methodist Circuit, and has Revd Christopher Briggs as the current minister. The congregation is currently at approximately 120 members, and is a hub for many members of the community as the church is often the host of many different events and community projects. The church has been one of the few Methodist churches that are pioneering the multiplex worship system which tries to cater for differing preferences for learning and worship without isolating any age groups.[6] The church has four spaces open to hosting events; the Large Hall, Weston Room, Southwell Room and the Sanctuary.[7]

Design

Easton Methodist Church

The twin-spired church was designed by Latrobe and Weston of Bristol, seats 900, and cost nearly £8,000. In his book Portland: An Illustrated History, Stuart Morris noted that the church "displays some of the finest examples of the masons' craft to be seen on Portland." One notable feature within the church is a recreation of Leonardo's "Last Supper", carved from a single block of whitbed stone, which was quarried near The Grove village. It was carved by Mr. Sheppard.[4]

The church is made of rock-faced snecked Portland stone with ashlar dressings, or rubble, and has a plain tile roof. The twin-towered front, transepts with semi-octagonal apse containing organ gallery, and a low flat-roofed vestry are all designed with a mixture of late muscular Gothic with Art Nouveau detailing. The entrance front has square towers carrying set-back octagonal turrets with stone spires; with the corners of the towers carried through to frame deep-set openings under moulded segmental arches and to glacis-like cills. The central doorway is in French High Gothic style with deep arched opening to tympanum carved with Christ in Glory over paired plank doors with double colonnette responds, all on five steps with nosings. The flat-roofed vestry is connected by a tiled canopy over a glazed door with a pointed arch above the canopy.[8]

The interior of the church features a three-bay nave with two-bay transepts, along with composite wood trusses to planked ceiling, and semi-octagonal domed apse in similar detail, on plastered walls to stone dressings, and mosaic floors. There are galleries on three sides of the church, on cast-iron columns to leaf capitals; with the gallery front a repeated series of Art Nouveau tree and wheatfield decorations in cast plaster. A grand organ and case is behind a tall moulded painted arch, and surrounded by choir seating; which consist of plain pews. The pulpit and reading desk is made of Portland stone, bowed front with the high relief carving of The Last Supper. The stairs to the pulpit have a brass handrail, backed by stone organ gallery front with four vertical panels each side in Art Nouveau detail. The entrance lobby is flanked by open-well stone stairs with some Art Nouveau decoration, a mosaic floor and a wall panel below large segmental-headed opening with leaded stained glass. All door handles, finger plates and escutcheons are of polished brass. The church's mannered, robust exterior conceals an unusually rich interior, all of which has been retained unchanged and helps to demonstrate the strength of Methodism on the island.[8]

The church hall was formerly a Wesleyan school, dating 1878 on the porch, reading "Wesleyan 1878 School". It is built of coursed and squared rock-faced Portland stone or rubble, and also has a slate roof. It is a cruciform building, but probably built first as a single hall to which 'transept' and rear wing was later added. The front has a triple lancet with oculus in plate tracery to pointed arch with drip course, flanked at lower level with single lancets, all under coped gable with bellcote. To right and left are plank doors in deep chamfered surrounds. The north side was linked to the main church by a 1906 wall with door. In the re-entrant on the north side is a boiler house and large square stack, as well as a small-paned casement. A dwarf wall, formerly with railings is in front of the property; and at the left end a tall square gate pier.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Paul Benyon. "Portland Churches, Buildings and Views". Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "1203081 – The National Heritage List for England | English Heritage". List.english-heritage.org.uk. 1993-05-17. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  3. ↑ Farmer, Dave (2014-03-13). "Loving God, Loving You". PortlandMethodist. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Morris, Stuart (1985). Portland: An Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 118. ISBN 978-0946159345.
  5. ↑ Morris, Stuart (1985). Portland: An Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 107. ISBN 978-0946159345.
  6. ↑ Farmer, Dave (2014-03-14). "Easton". PortlandMethodist. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  7. ↑ Farmer, Dave (2014-03-16). "Easton Room Hire". PortlandMethodist. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "1280713 – The National Heritage List for England | English Heritage". List.english-heritage.org.uk. Retrieved 2014-07-23.

Coordinates: 50°33′32″N 2°26′25″W / 50.5589°N 2.4403°W