The Congregational Church in Saltaire

A general view of the Congregational Church

Built between 1856-59 in an Italianate style with Rough Rock sandstone ashlar and a Welsh slate roof, in keeping with the rest of Lockwood and Mawson’s designs for the village, the Congregational Church is the only Grade I Listed building in Saltaire. 

The portico

On the exterior, the east end forms a large semi-circular portico, with giant Corinthian columns, above which rises the tower, with a further eight smaller columns that support the dome. It has an aisleless nave and to the north and south elevations, the relatively plain classical façade is decorated with pilasters topped by large half Corinthian capitals. 

A general view of the south elevation

As previously seen in the Institute and the Factory School, the stone here is also extremely uniform in colour and texture, without any iron banding, and in this respect reminds me of the Crosland Hill sandstone from Huddersfield, which is so extensively used in Sheffield. 

The Salt family mausoleum

To the west end of the south elevation, the highly decorated lead roofed Salt family mausoleum provides yet another fine example of elaborate stone carving, which together with a large urn contrasts strongly with the classical façades. 

A detail of an Ashburton marble table top

The spectacular interior is totally devoid of any stonework, except for a polished Ashburton marble table top that caught my eye, but it provides an excellent example of the use of scagliola in the Corinthian pilasters and the frieze above it. 

The bust of Sir Titus Salt by Thomas Milnes

In the entrance there is a fine white marble bust of Sir Titus Salt, carved by Thomas Milnes, with a grey vein marble base carved with the Salt crest and magnificent sculptures of an alpaca and an angora goat, beneath which there is an Ashburton marble plinth.

A detail of an alpaca and angora goat carved in marble