30 Ellison Place, Church of the Divine Unity and Durant Hall
30 Ellison Place, Church of the Divine Unity and Durant Hall
HER Number
              6245
          District
              Newcastle
          Site Name
              30 Ellison Place, Church of the Divine Unity and Durant Hall
          Place
              Newcastle
          Class
              Religious Ritual and Funerary
          Site Type: Broad
              Place of Worship
          Site Type: Specific
              Baptist Chapel
          General Period
              20TH CENTURY
          Specific Period
              Mid 20th Century 1933 to 1966
          Form of Evidence
              Extant Building
          Description
              This building was listed Grade II in 1997 with the following description:
'Unitarian church and attached meeting room. 1938-40. Designed by Cackett, Burns Dick & Mackellar. Concrete and steel with brown brick cladding and reconstituted ashlar stone dressings and flat concrete roofs. Vertical brick plinth. Square east tower, nave with aisles, west gallery and north porch. Main north front has large recessed entrance with reconstituted stone triple archway with 4 rectangular panelled columns supporting a cornice, with simple iron railings and gates. Inner doorway has moulded surround and double panelled doors, flanked by windows with plain ashlar surrounds. To left 5 tall rectangular windows in plain ashlar surrounds and to right a single smaller 3-light casement window in similar surround. Single doorway at base of tower. Tower has very tall single window to north, west and south fronts with set back vertical brick parapet with ashlar coping. East end has entrance to Durant Hall with plain brick surround and recessed double panelled doors. East front has 3 windows with plain ashlar surrounds and flanking drainpipes. Projecting staircase towe to right 4 storey with 2 square windows to each floor. South front originally obscured by earlier building which have been demolished . INTERIOR has nave with aisles without arcades, raised raked gallery at west end, slightly raised chancel with organ chamber to north and vestry to south. Fittings include original wooden pews with decorated bench ends, and similar choir stalls. Large square wooden pulpit with inlaid wave bands and moulded top, similar altar and reading desk. Original globe light fittings. Abstract patterned reredos. Wooden organ case. Glazed panel doors and boxed heaters throughout. Fine square coffered ceilings to nave and aisles. Durant Hall and other rooms have similar high quality interior fittings.' LISTED GRADE 2
          'Unitarian church and attached meeting room. 1938-40. Designed by Cackett, Burns Dick & Mackellar. Concrete and steel with brown brick cladding and reconstituted ashlar stone dressings and flat concrete roofs. Vertical brick plinth. Square east tower, nave with aisles, west gallery and north porch. Main north front has large recessed entrance with reconstituted stone triple archway with 4 rectangular panelled columns supporting a cornice, with simple iron railings and gates. Inner doorway has moulded surround and double panelled doors, flanked by windows with plain ashlar surrounds. To left 5 tall rectangular windows in plain ashlar surrounds and to right a single smaller 3-light casement window in similar surround. Single doorway at base of tower. Tower has very tall single window to north, west and south fronts with set back vertical brick parapet with ashlar coping. East end has entrance to Durant Hall with plain brick surround and recessed double panelled doors. East front has 3 windows with plain ashlar surrounds and flanking drainpipes. Projecting staircase towe to right 4 storey with 2 square windows to each floor. South front originally obscured by earlier building which have been demolished . INTERIOR has nave with aisles without arcades, raised raked gallery at west end, slightly raised chancel with organ chamber to north and vestry to south. Fittings include original wooden pews with decorated bench ends, and similar choir stalls. Large square wooden pulpit with inlaid wave bands and moulded top, similar altar and reading desk. Original globe light fittings. Abstract patterned reredos. Wooden organ case. Glazed panel doors and boxed heaters throughout. Fine square coffered ceilings to nave and aisles. Durant Hall and other rooms have similar high quality interior fittings.' LISTED GRADE 2
Easting
              425240
          Northing
              564660
          Grid Reference
              NZ425240564660
    Sources
              Department of National Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural and Historic Interest, 1833/17/10070; Grace McCombie, 2009, Pevsner Architectural Guides, Newcastle and Gateshead, p 192; N. Pevsner and I. Richmond (second edition revised by J. Grundy, G. McCombie, P. Ryder and H. Welfare) , 1992, The Buildings of England: Northumberland, p 431; Unitarians at Ellison Place, Church Folder, p 13; https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1245126