Description

TQ 2979 NE CITY OF WESTMINSTER STOREY'S GATE SWl
91/43 Methodist Central Hall,
Westminster
24.2.58
GV II*
Main London Methodist hall. 1905-11 by Lanchester and Rickards. Portland
stone facing,early reinforced concrete frame (on the Kahn system) and steel
trussed Lead clad square dome. Symmetrically composed, free standing,monumental
block in Rickards' sophisticated Continental Baroque, with square masses, disciplined
by a giant Corinthian order, building up to massive square French dome. French
banded rustication to wall planes. Great main storey and tall attic, raised
on basement/ground floor. Corinthian columned corner pavilions,with attics,
and projecting centrepiece to entrance front with engaged colonnade carried out
in central bow with main central enriched architrave portal and side entrances
to vestibule in sides of bow. Tall windows with oeil de boeuf or relief panels
a la Gabriel above. The tall attics to set-back hall have tall tetrastyle
porticoes in antis and shallow segmental pediments above parapets. Vast,enriched
rib leaded dome, with oeil de boeuf finished off with balustrade and elaborate,
aediculed cupola overall. Richly modelled sculptural mouldings, cornices, urns
and trophies. Very skilled internal layout by Lanchester, with the raised hall
surrounded by offices and rooms on 4 sides and spectacular, sweeping, Baroque
grand staircase design, with French scrollworked bronze balustrade, given dramatic
effect by the wide depressed archway through which it rises from the vestibule in
2 flights to meet and then divide again in lofty compartment to return to hall
level; vast coffered saucer dome over grand hall, etc.
Edwardian Architecture and its 0rigins: Alistair Service, ed.

Listing NGR: TQ2988979554

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Methodist Central Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q81473

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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