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{{Infobox church | name = Ullet Road Unitarian Church| fullname = | image = Ullet Road Unitarian Church 2019.jpg| imagesize = | imagealt = | caption = Ullet Road Unitarian Church| pushpin map = Merseyside| pushpin map alt = | pushpin mapsize = 200 | pushpin label position = | map caption = Location in Merseyside| location = 57 Ullet Road, [[Sefton Park (district)|Sefton Park]], [[Liverpool]], [[Merseyside]]| country = England | coordinates = {{coord|53.3898|-2.9381|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}} | osgraw = SJ 377 885| denomination = [[Unitarianism|Unitarian]] | churchmanship = | membership = | attendance = | website = [http://www.ukunitarians.org.uk/ulletroad/ Ullet Road Unitarian Church] | former name = | bull date = | founded date = | founder = | consecrated date = | cult = | relics = | events = | past bishop = | people = | status = | functional status = Active| heritage designation = Grade I| designated date = 14 March 1975| architect = [[Thomas Worthington (architect)|Thomas]] and<br>[[Percy Worthington]]| architectural type = [[Church (building)|Church]]| style = [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]]| groundbreaking = 1896| completed date = 1899| construction cost = | closed date = | demolished date = | capacity = | length = | width = | width nave = | height = | diameter = | other dimensions = | floor count = | floor area = | materials = Red brick exterior<br>[[Sandstone]] interior<br>[[Slate]] roofs| minister = Philip Waldron| assistant = | honpriest = | deacon = | seniorpastor = | pastor = | abbot = | chaplain = | reader = | organistdom = | director = | organist = | organscholar = | chapterclerk = | laychapter = | warden = | flowerguild = | musicgroup = | parishadmin = | serversguild = | logo = | logosize = }}
{{Infobox church | name = Ullet Road Unitarian Church| fullname = | image = Ullet Road Unitarian Church 2019.jpg| imagesize = | imagealt = | caption = Ullet Road Unitarian Church| pushpin map = Merseyside| pushpin map alt = | pushpin mapsize = 200 | pushpin label position = | map caption = Location in Merseyside| location = 57 Ullet Road, [[Sefton Park (district)|Sefton Park]], [[Liverpool]], [[Merseyside]]| country = England | coordinates = {{coord|53.3898|-2.9381|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}} | osgraw = SJ 377 885| denomination = [[Unitarianism|Unitarian]] | churchmanship = | membership = | attendance = | website = [http://www.ukunitarians.org.uk/ulletroad/ Ullet Road Unitarian Church] | former name = | bull date = | founded date = | founder = | consecrated date = | cult = | relics = | events = | past bishop = | people = | status = | functional status = Active| heritage designation = Grade I| designated date = 14 March 1975| architect = [[Thomas Worthington (architect)|Thomas]] and<br />[[Percy Worthington]]| architectural type = [[Church (building)|Church]]| style = [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]]| groundbreaking = 1896| completed date = 1899| construction cost = | closed date = | demolished date = | capacity = | length = | width = | width nave = | height = | diameter = | other dimensions = | floor count = | floor area = | materials = Red brick exterior<br />[[Sandstone]] interior<br />[[Slate]] roofs| minister = Philip Waldron| assistant = | honpriest = | deacon = | seniorpastor = | pastor = | abbot = | chaplain = | reader = | organistdom = | director = | organist = | organscholar = | chapterclerk = | laychapter = | warden = | flowerguild = | musicgroup = | parishadmin = | serversguild = | logo = | logosize = }}


'''Ullet Road Church''' is a [[Unitarianism|Unitarian]] church at 57 Ullet Road, [[Sefton Park (district)|Sefton Park]], [[Liverpool]]. Both the church and its attached hall are separately recorded in the [[National Heritage List for England]] as designated Grade&nbsp;I [[Listed building#England and Wales|listed buildings]].<ref name=nhl>{{NHLE |num= 1218227|desc= Unitarian Chapel, Liverpool|accessdate= 16 March 2012|mode=cs2|ps=none}}</ref><ref name=nhlh/> It was the first place of worship in the United Kingdom to register a [[Civil partnership in the United Kingdom|civil partnership]] for a same-sex couple.<ref name="unitarian.org.uk">{{Cite news|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-gay-couple-make-history-3341922|title=Liverpool gay couple make history by holding civil partnership in a church|last=Jaleel|first=Gemma|date=2012-06-11|work=liverpoolecho|access-date=2018-01-04}}</ref> It is a member of the [[General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches]], the [[umbrella organisation]] for British [[Unitarianism|Unitarians]].<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.unitarian.org.uk/findcong.shtml?cong=Liverpool%20Sefton%20Park| title = Find a Congregation: Liverpool| accessdate = 16 March 2012| publisher = The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (Great Britain)}}</ref>
'''Ullet Road Church''' is a [[Unitarianism|Unitarian]] church at 57 Ullet Road, [[Sefton Park (district)|Sefton Park]], [[Liverpool]]. Both the church and its attached hall are separately recorded in the [[National Heritage List for England]] as designated Grade&nbsp;I [[Listed building#England and Wales|listed buildings]].<ref name=nhl>{{NHLE |num= 1218227|desc= Unitarian Chapel, Liverpool|access-date= 16 March 2012|mode=cs2}}</ref><ref name=nhlh/> It was the first place of worship in the United Kingdom to register a [[Civil partnership in the United Kingdom|civil partnership]] for a same-sex couple.<ref name="unitarian.org.uk">{{Cite news|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-gay-couple-make-history-3341922|title=Liverpool gay couple make history by holding civil partnership in a church|last=Jaleel|first=Gemma|date=2012-06-11|work=liverpoolecho|access-date=4 January 2018|mode=cs2}}</ref> It is a member of the [[General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches]], the [[umbrella organisation]] for British [[Unitarianism|Unitarians]].<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.unitarian.org.uk/findcong.shtml?cong=Liverpool%20Sefton%20Park| title = Find a Congregation: Liverpool| access-date = 16 March 2012| publisher = The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (Great Britain)}}</ref>


==History==
==History==


The predecessors of the congregation now worshipping in Ullet Road originated from a group of [[Presbyterians]] during the later part of the 17th&nbsp;century, that is, in the immediate aftermath of the [[English Civil War]]. They originally gathered in a [[meeting house]] in [[Castle Hey]], and in 1727 moved to a new chapel in [[Benn's Gardens]]. In 1811 they moved to another new [[Renshaw Street Unitarian Chapel|chapel in Renshaw Street]], and by this time had become [[Unitarianism|Unitarians]], as many [[English Presbyterianism|English Presbyterians]] did.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|pp=8–9}} Despite some opposition, in 1894 the congregation decided to move to what was then a suburb of Liverpool.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=14}} The architects [[Thomas Worthington (architect)|Thomas]] and [[Percy Worthington]], Unitarians from [[Manchester]], were commissioned to design the church and associated buildings.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.ukunitarians.org.uk/ulletroad/history.htm| title = History| accessdate = 16 March 2012| publisher = Ullet Road Unitarian Church}}</ref> The church opened in June 1899, followed by the hall and other associated buildings in 1902.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=14}}
The predecessors of the congregation now worshipping in Ullet Road originated from a group of [[Presbyterians]] during the later part of the 17th&nbsp;century, that is, in the immediate aftermath of the [[English Civil War]]. They originally gathered in a [[meeting house]] in [[Castle Hey]], and in 1727 moved to a new chapel in [[Benn's Gardens]]. In 1811 they moved to another new [[Renshaw Street Unitarian Chapel|chapel in Renshaw Street]], and by this time had become [[Unitarianism|Unitarians]], as many [[English Presbyterianism|English Presbyterians]] did.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|pp=8–9}} Despite some opposition, in 1894 the congregation decided to move to what was then a suburb of Liverpool.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=14}} The architects [[Thomas Worthington (architect)|Thomas]] and [[Percy Worthington]], Unitarians from [[Manchester]], were commissioned to design the church and associated buildings.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.ukunitarians.org.uk/ulletroad/history.htm| title = History| access-date = 16 March 2012| publisher = Ullet Road Unitarian Church}}</ref> The church opened in June 1899, followed by the hall and other associated buildings in 1902.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=14}}


==Architecture==
==Architecture==


===Church exterior===
===Church exterior===
The church is constructed in red [[Ruabon brick]] with red [[sandstone]] dressings, and has roofs of [[Westmorland]] [[slate]]. The interior is lined with sandstone from quarries at [[Runcorn]]. The architectural style is [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]] with [[Art Nouveau]] features.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=15}} The church is aligned north-south, with the main entrance on the south side. Its plan consists of a three-bay [[narthex]] (entrance hall), a seven-[[bay (architecture)|bay]] [[nave]] with a [[clerestory]], narrow [[aisle]]s, and a [[chancel]] with a polygonal [[apse]]. At the south end of the church is a three-arched structure resembling a [[bellcote]], but without bells.<ref name=nhl/> Below the arches is a [[niche (architecture)|niche]] containing a statue of Christ,{{sfn|Pollard|Pevsner|2006|pp=449–451}} and under this is a [[rose window]]. The bays along the sides of the church are divided by [[gable]]d [[buttress]]es. Each aisle bay contains a two-light window, and in each bay of the clerestory is a taller three-light window.<ref name=nhl/> The windows contain [[English Gothic architecture#Decorated Gothic|Decorated]]-style [[tracery]].{{sfn|Pollard|Pevsner|2006|pp=449–451}} The doors at the south end of the church and on the sides are in oak with beaten copper cladding in Art Nouveau style designed by Richard Llewellyn Rathbone.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|pp=16–17}}
The church is constructed in red [[Ruabon brick]] with red [[sandstone]] dressings, and has roofs of [[Westmorland]] [[slate]]. The interior is lined with sandstone from quarries at [[Runcorn]]. The architectural style is [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]] with [[Art Nouveau]] features.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=15}} The church is aligned north–south, with the main entrance on the south side. Its plan consists of a three-bay [[narthex]] (entrance hall), a seven-[[bay (architecture)|bay]] [[nave]] with a [[clerestory]], narrow [[aisle]]s, and a [[chancel]] with a polygonal [[apse]]. At the south end of the church is a three-arched structure resembling a [[bellcote]], but without bells.<ref name=nhl/> Below the arches is a [[niche (architecture)|niche]] containing a statue of Christ,{{sfn|Pollard|Pevsner|2006|pp=449–451}} and under this is a [[rose window]]. The bays along the sides of the church are divided by [[gable]]d [[buttress]]es. Each aisle bay contains a two-light window, and in each bay of the clerestory is a taller three-light window.<ref name=nhl/> The windows contain [[English Gothic architecture#Decorated Gothic|Decorated]]-style [[tracery]].{{sfn|Pollard|Pevsner|2006|pp=449–451}} The doors at the south end of the church and on the sides are in oak with beaten copper cladding in Art Nouveau style designed by Richard Llewellyn Rathbone.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|pp=16–17}}


===Church interior===
===Church interior===
Inside the church, the nave is wide and the aisles are narrow, forming passages. The [[arcade (architecture)|arcades]] are carried on round [[pier (architecture)|piers]]. The walls of the chancel curve forward to incorporate the [[pulpit]] on one side and the reading desk on the other. Above the pulpit is a [[sounding board]], the underside of which is lined with beaten copper. On the front of the pulpit is a shield inscribed with ''Fiat Lux ([[Let there be light]])'', and on the front of the reading desk is a carved eagle. Behind the altar is a wooden [[reredos]] carved by H.&nbsp;H.&nbsp;Martyn of [[Cheltenham]] based on [[Leonardo da Vinci]]'s ''[[The Last Supper (Leonardo da Vinci)|Last Supper]]''. On each side of the chancel are finely carved wooden [[choir stall]]s. Above those on the east side is an elaborate [[canopy (building)|canopy]] in memory of [[Henry Tate]] carved by [[C. J. Allen (sculptor)|C. J. Allen]].{{sfn|Mooney|1996|pp=17–19}} The [[baptismal font|font]] was also carved by Allen; it is movable and was designed by Ronald Porter Jones.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=21}} When it was built, the church was wired for electricity. This supplied power for the series of copper [[electrolier]]s in the nave, which are in [[Arts and Crafts Movement|Arts and Crafts]] style and made by the [[Artificers' Guild of London]].{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=23}}
Inside the church, the nave is wide and the aisles are narrow, forming passages. The [[arcade (architecture)|arcades]] are carried on round [[pier (architecture)|piers]]. The walls of the chancel curve forward to incorporate the [[pulpit]] on one side and the reading desk on the other. Above the pulpit is a [[sounding board]], the underside of which is lined with beaten copper. On the front of the pulpit is a shield inscribed with ''Fiat Lux ([[Let there be light]])'', and on the front of the reading desk is a carved eagle. Behind the altar is a wooden [[reredos]] carved by [[H. H. Martyn & Co.]] of [[Cheltenham]] based on [[Leonardo da Vinci]]'s ''[[The Last Supper (Leonardo da Vinci)|Last Supper]]''. On each side of the chancel are finely carved wooden [[choir stall]]s. Above those on the east side is an elaborate [[canopy (building)|canopy]] in memory of [[Henry Tate]] carved by [[C. J. Allen (sculptor)|C. J. Allen]].{{sfn|Mooney|1996|pp=17–19}} The [[baptismal font|font]] was also carved by Allen; it is movable and was designed by Ronald Potter Jones.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=21}} When it was built, the church was wired for electricity. This supplied power for the series of copper [[electrolier]]s in the nave, which are in [[Arts and Crafts Movement|Arts and Crafts]] style and made by the Artificers' Guild of London.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=23}}


The [[stained glass]] in the windows of the chancel, and in eight of the clerestory windows, was made by [[Morris & Co.]], based on designs by [[Edward Burne-Jones]], and dated between 1901 and 1928. Of the later windows, two were made by [[James Powell and Sons]] of Whitefriars, and a third by William Wilson of [[Edinburgh]].{{sfn|Mooney|1996|pp=19–21}} The three-[[manual (music)|manual]] [[pipe organ]] was moved to the present church from Renshaw Street. It had been built in 1869 by William Hill and Son, and repaired between 1873 and 1883 by [[Gray and Davidson]].<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=R01145| title = Lancashire (Merseyside), Liverpool, Unitarian Church, Renshaw Street (R01145)| accessdate = 16 March 2012| publisher = [[British Institute of Organ Studies]]}}</ref> It was rebuilt in 1910 by [[Rushworth and Dreaper]], and overhauled by the same firm in 1937.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=N01780| title = Lancashire (Merseyside), Liverpool - Sefton Park, Unitarian Church, Ullet Road (N01780)| accessdate = 16 March 2012| publisher = [[British Institute of Organ Studies]]}}</ref>
The [[stained glass]] in the windows of the chancel, and in eight of the clerestory windows, was made by [[Morris & Co.]], based on designs by [[Edward Burne-Jones]], and dated between 1901 and 1928. Of the later windows, two were made by [[James Powell and Sons]] of Whitefriars, and a third by William Wilson of [[Edinburgh]].{{sfn|Mooney|1996|pp=19–21}} The three-[[manual (music)|manual]] [[pipe organ]] was moved to the present church from Renshaw Street. It had been built in 1869 by [[William Hill & Son]], and repaired between 1873 and 1883 by [[Gray and Davidson]].<ref>{{National Pipe Organ Register|id=R01145|mode=cs2|access-date=2 July 2020}}</ref> It was rebuilt in 1910 by [[Rushworth and Dreaper]], and overhauled by the same firm in 1937.<ref>{{National Pipe Organ Register|id=N01780|mode=cs2|access-date=2 July 2020}}</ref>


===Vestry and library ===
===Vestry and library ===
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===Hall and cloister===
===Hall and cloister===
[[File:Ullet Road Unitarian Church hall 2019.jpg|thumb|left|Church Hall]]
[[File:Ullet Road Unitarian Church hall 2019.jpg|thumb|left|Church Hall]]
To the east of the library is a [[cloister]] leading to the [[church hall]]. These were designed by Percy Worthington and have been designated separately from the church at Grade&nbsp;I. They form an L-shaped plan, with the hall standing parallel to the church. Like the church, they are in red brick, with stone dressings and slate roofs.<ref name=nhlh>{{NHLE |num= 1359872|desc= Unitarian Church Hall, Liverpool|accessdate= 16 March 2012|mode=cs2|ps=none|fewer-links=x}}</ref> This part of the complex was paid for by Sir John Brunner and the son of Henry Tate. The cloister contains memorials moved from the previous chapels.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=26}} They include a [[Bust (sculpture)|bust]] of [[William Roscoe]] by [[John Gibson (sculptor)|John Gibson]]; memorials to Edward Rathbone who died in 1834, also by Gibson; to [[William Rathbone V|William Rathbone]], who died in 1868, by J.&nbsp;H.&nbsp;Foley; to Charles Beard, who died in 1888, by [[Joseph Boehm|J.&nbsp;E.&nbsp;Boehm]]; and to [[William Rathbone VI|William Rathbone]], who died in 1902, by C.&nbsp;J.&nbsp;Allen.{{sfn|Pollard|Pevsner|2006|pp=449–451}} The hall "has the appearance of a [[Middle Ages|medieval]] banqueting hall".{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=26}} It is in five irregular bays; its roof is arch-braced, and it contains an arcade on its west side incorporating a large fireplace. Over the fireplace are the carved [[coat of arms|arms]] of the Brunner and Tate families.<ref name=nhlh/> Rising from the centre of the open-timber roof is a [[roof lantern|lantern]] surmounted by a [[cupola]] with an [[ogee]]-shaped roof. On the south side of the hall is a [[Cant (architecture)|canted]] [[bay window]], and on the east side is a smaller circular bay window.{{sfn|Pollard|Pevsner|2006|pp=449–451}}
To the east of the library is a [[cloister]] leading to the [[church hall]]. These were designed by Percy Worthington and have been designated separately from the church at Grade&nbsp;I. They form an L-shaped plan, with the hall standing parallel to the church. Like the church, they are in red brick, with stone dressings and slate roofs.<ref name=nhlh>{{NHLE |num= 1359872|desc= Unitarian Church Hall, Liverpool|access-date= 16 March 2012|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x}}</ref> This part of the complex was paid for by Sir John Brunner and the son of Henry Tate. The cloister contains memorials moved from the previous chapels.{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=26}} They include a [[Bust (sculpture)|bust]] of [[William Roscoe]] by [[John Gibson (sculptor)|John Gibson]]; memorials to Edward Rathbone who died in 1834, also by Gibson; to [[William Rathbone V|William Rathbone]], who died in 1868, by J.&nbsp;H.&nbsp;Foley; to Charles Beard, who died in 1888, by [[Joseph Boehm|J.&nbsp;E.&nbsp;Boehm]]; and to [[William Rathbone VI|William Rathbone]], who died in 1902, by C.&nbsp;J.&nbsp;Allen.{{sfn|Pollard|Pevsner|2006|pp=449–451}} The hall "has the appearance of a [[Middle Ages|medieval]] banqueting hall".{{sfn|Mooney|1996|p=26}} It is in five irregular bays; its roof is arch-braced, and it contains an arcade on its west side incorporating a large fireplace. Over the fireplace are the carved [[coat of arms|arms]] of the Brunner and Tate families.<ref name=nhlh/> Rising from the centre of the open-timber roof is a [[roof lantern|lantern]] surmounted by a [[cupola]] with an [[ogee]]-shaped roof. On the south side of the hall is a [[Cant (architecture)|canted]] [[bay window]], and on the east side is a smaller circular bay window.{{sfn|Pollard|Pevsner|2006|pp=449–451}}


===External features===
===External features===
Together, the buildings are grouped around three sides of a central garden. The authors of the ''[[Pevsner Architectural Guides|Buildings of England]]'' series comment that this gives a "[[Colleges within universities in the United Kingdom|collegiate feel]]",{{sfn|Pollard|Pevsner|2006|pp=449–451}} a reference to [[Quadrangle (architecture)|an architectural quadrangle]]. The grading citations state that they form "one of the most elaborate [[Nonconformism|Non-conformist]] ensembles in the country".<ref name=nhl/><ref name=nhlh/> The gardens are enclosed by a wall and gates that are designated at Grade&nbsp;II. The walls are in brick, with a stone [[plinth]], [[coping (architecture)|coping]] and dressings.<ref>{{NHLE |num= 1292058|desc= Wall and gates to Unitarian chapel and Church Hall, Liverpool|accessdate= 16 March 2012|mode=cs2|ps=none|fewer-links=x}}</ref> The original church entrance gates and the railings were designed by the architects, and constructed by George Wragge. The railings were removed during the [[Second World War]]. The gates were renovated and rehung in 1988, but were stolen a few weeks later.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mooney|1996|p=27.}}</ref>
Together, the buildings are grouped around three sides of a central garden. The authors of the ''[[Pevsner Architectural Guides|Buildings of England]]'' series comment that this gives a "[[Colleges within universities in the United Kingdom|collegiate feel]]",{{sfn|Pollard|Pevsner|2006|pp=449–451}} a reference to [[Quadrangle (architecture)|an architectural quadrangle]]. The grading citations state that they form "one of the most elaborate [[Nonconformist (Protestantism)|Non-conformist]] ensembles in the country".<ref name=nhl/><ref name=nhlh/> The gardens are enclosed by a wall and gates that are designated at Grade&nbsp;II. The walls are in brick, with a stone [[plinth]], [[coping (architecture)|coping]] and dressings.<ref>{{NHLE |num= 1292058|desc= Wall and gates to Unitarian chapel and Church Hall, Liverpool|access-date= 16 March 2012|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x}}</ref> The original church entrance gates and the railings were designed by the architects, and constructed by George Wragge. The railings were removed during the [[Second World War]]. The gates were renovated and rehung in 1988, but were stolen a few weeks later.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mooney|1996|p=27.}}</ref>


==Present day==
==Present day==
Regular services are held in the church, and both the church and the hall are used for a variety of functions, including concerts and dances.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.ukunitarians.org.uk/ulletroad/activities.htm| title = Activities| accessdate = 17 March 2012| publisher = Ullet Road Unitarian Church}}</ref> Children are introduced to the church by a ceremony of Blessing (rather than by [[baptism]]).<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.ukunitarians.org.uk/ulletroad/blessings.htm| title = Child Blessing| accessdate = 17 March 2012| publisher = Ullet Road Unitarian Church}}</ref> Weddings and funerals are arranged by the church.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.ukunitarians.org.uk/ulletroad/weddings.htm| title = Weddings| accessdate = 17 March 2012| publisher = Ullet Road Unitarian Church}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.ukunitarians.org.uk/ulletroad/funerals.htm| title = Funerals| accessdate = 17 March 2012| publisher = Ullet Road Unitarian Church}}</ref> On 6th May 2012 it became the first place of worship in the United Kingdom to register a [[Civil partnership in the United Kingdom|civil partnership]] for a same-sex couple.<ref name="unitarian.org.uk"/>
Regular services are held in the church, and both the church and the hall are used for a variety of functions, including concerts and dances.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.ukunitarians.org.uk/ulletroad/activities.htm| title = Activities| access-date = 17 March 2012| publisher = Ullet Road Unitarian Church}}</ref> Children are introduced to the church by a ceremony of Blessing (rather than by [[baptism]]).<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.ukunitarians.org.uk/ulletroad/blessings.htm| title = Child Blessing| access-date = 17 March 2012| publisher = Ullet Road Unitarian Church}}</ref> Weddings and funerals are arranged by the church.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.ukunitarians.org.uk/ulletroad/weddings.htm| title = Weddings| access-date = 17 March 2012| publisher = Ullet Road Unitarian Church}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.ukunitarians.org.uk/ulletroad/funerals.htm| title = Funerals| access-date = 17 March 2012| publisher = Ullet Road Unitarian Church}}</ref> On 6 May 2012 it became the first place of worship in the United Kingdom to register a [[Civil partnership in the United Kingdom|civil partnership]] for a same-sex couple.<ref name="unitarian.org.uk"/>

==Gallery==

<gallery >
File:Ullet Road Unitarian Church, Liverpool (6).JPG|West front
File:View towards Ullet Road Unitarian church hall.jpg|Exterior of cloister and church hall
File:West window, Ullet Road church.jpg|Stained glass in western [[Rose window]]
File:Nave of Ullet Road church looking to rear.jpg|Nave looking west
File:Nave of Ullet Road church.jpg|Nave looking east
File:Chancel of Ullet Road church.jpg|High altar, [[reredos]] Last Supper carved by H.H. Martyn of Cheltenham, stained glass designed by Edward Burne-Jones and executed by William Morris
File:Northwest chancel window, Ullet Road church.jpg|NorthWest window in apse, depicting "suffer the little children". Memorial to George Melly (d. 1894)
File:East window, Ullet Road church.jpg|The east window in apse, by Burne-Jones/Morris Co. depicting Jesus as the Tree of Life, surrounded by the evangelists.
File:Northeast chancel window, Ullet Road church.jpg|Northeast widow in apse, by Burne-Jones/Morris Co. depicting the ascension. Memorial to George Holt (d.1896)
File:Organ, Ullet Road church.jpg|The choir stalls and organ
File:Font, Ullet Road church.jpg|The font
File:Vestry of Ullet Road church.jpg|The Vestry
File:Library of Ullet Road church 2.jpg|The Library
File:Cloister of Ullet Road church 2.jpg|The Cloister
File:Cloister of Ullet Road church.jpg|The Cloister
File:William Roscoe memorial, Ullet Road church.jpg|Memorial to [[William Roscoe]], in cloister, carved by [[John Gibson (sculptor)|John Gibson]]
File:Edward Roscoe memorial, Ullet Road church.jpg|Edward Roscoe Memorial, in cloister, by John Gibson
File:William Rathbone (d. 1868) memorial, Ullet Road church.jpg|[[William Rathbone V]] memorial in cloister, by [[John Henry Foley]]
File:Henry Booth memorial, Ullet Road church.jpg|Memorial to [[Henry Booth]], in cloister
File:Charles Beard memorial, Ullet Road church.jpg|Memorial to Charles Beard, Minister of the church, in cloister, by [[Joseph Edgar Boehm]]
File:Benson Rathbone memorial, Ullet Road church.jpg|Memorial to Benson Rathbone, in cloister
File:William Rathbone VI memorial, Ullet Road church.jpg|Memorial to William Rathbone VI, in cloister, by [[C. J. Allen (sculptor)|C.J. Allen]]
</gallery>


==See also==
==See also==

{{portal|Merseyside}}
{{commonscat|Ullet Road Unitarian Church}}
{{commonscat|Ullet Road Unitarian Church}}
*[[Grade I listed buildings in Liverpool]]
*[[Grade I listed buildings in Liverpool]]
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==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
{{refbegin}}
*{{Citation | last = Mooney| first = Len| publication-date = | date = | year = 1996| title = A Guide to Ullet Road Unitarian Church| edition = | volume = | series = | publication-place = Liverpool| place = | publisher = Ullet Road Unitarian Church| pages = | page = | format = | id = | isbn = | doi = | oclc = | url = | accessdate =}}
*{{Citation | last = Mooney| first = Len| year = 1996| title = A Guide to Ullet Road Unitarian Church| publication-place = Liverpool| publisher = Ullet Road Unitarian Church}}
*{{Citation | last = Sharples | first = Joseph| author-link = | last2 = Pollard| first2 = Richard| author2-link = | publication-date = | date = | year = 2004| title = Liverpool| edition = | volume = | series = Pevsner Architectural Guides| publication-place = New Haven and London| place = | publisher = [[Yale University Press]]| pages = | page = | format = | id = | isbn = 0-300-10258-5| doi = | oclc = | url = | accessdate =}}
*{{Citation | last =Pollard| first =Richard | last2 = Pevsner | first2 = Nikolaus | author2-link =Nikolaus Pevsner| series= The Buildings of England|title =Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West | publisher =[[Yale University Press]] | year =2006 | location =New Haven and London | isbn =0-300-10910-5 }}
*{{Citation | last = Sharples | first = Joseph| last2 = Pollard| first2 = Richard| year = 2004| title = Liverpool| series = Pevsner Architectural Guides| publication-place = New Haven and London| publisher = [[Yale University Press]]| isbn = 0-300-10258-5}}
{{refend}}
{{refend}}
{{List of Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist churches|state=autocollapse}}

{{Liverpool B&S}}
{{Liverpool B&S}}


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[[Category:Gothic Revival church buildings in England]]
[[Category:Gothic Revival church buildings in England]]
[[Category:Gothic Revival architecture in Merseyside]]
[[Category:Gothic Revival architecture in Merseyside]]
[[Category:Protestant congregations established in the 17th century]]
[[Category:17th-century Protestant churches]]
[[Category:Art Nouveau architecture in Liverpool]]
[[Category:Art Nouveau architecture in Liverpool]]
[[Category:Art Nouveau church buildings in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Art Nouveau church buildings in the United Kingdom]]

Latest revision as of 22:09, 26 April 2024

Ullet Road Unitarian Church
Ullet Road Unitarian Church
Ullet Road Unitarian Church is located in Merseyside
Ullet Road Unitarian Church
Ullet Road Unitarian Church
Location in Merseyside
53°23′23″N 2°56′17″W / 53.3898°N 2.9381°W / 53.3898; -2.9381
OS grid referenceSJ 377 885
Location57 Ullet Road, Sefton Park, Liverpool, Merseyside
CountryEngland
DenominationUnitarian
WebsiteUllet Road Unitarian Church
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade I
Designated14 March 1975
Architect(s)Thomas and
Percy Worthington
Architectural typeChurch
StyleGothic Revival
Groundbreaking1896
Completed1899
Specifications
MaterialsRed brick exterior
Sandstone interior
Slate roofs
Clergy
Minister(s)Philip Waldron

Ullet Road Church is a Unitarian church at 57 Ullet Road, Sefton Park, Liverpool. Both the church and its attached hall are separately recorded in the National Heritage List for England as designated Grade I listed buildings.[1][2] It was the first place of worship in the United Kingdom to register a civil partnership for a same-sex couple.[3] It is a member of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, the umbrella organisation for British Unitarians.[4]

History

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The predecessors of the congregation now worshipping in Ullet Road originated from a group of Presbyterians during the later part of the 17th century, that is, in the immediate aftermath of the English Civil War. They originally gathered in a meeting house in Castle Hey, and in 1727 moved to a new chapel in Benn's Gardens. In 1811 they moved to another new chapel in Renshaw Street, and by this time had become Unitarians, as many English Presbyterians did.[5] Despite some opposition, in 1894 the congregation decided to move to what was then a suburb of Liverpool.[6] The architects Thomas and Percy Worthington, Unitarians from Manchester, were commissioned to design the church and associated buildings.[7] The church opened in June 1899, followed by the hall and other associated buildings in 1902.[6]

Architecture

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Church exterior

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The church is constructed in red Ruabon brick with red sandstone dressings, and has roofs of Westmorland slate. The interior is lined with sandstone from quarries at Runcorn. The architectural style is Gothic Revival with Art Nouveau features.[8] The church is aligned north–south, with the main entrance on the south side. Its plan consists of a three-bay narthex (entrance hall), a seven-bay nave with a clerestory, narrow aisles, and a chancel with a polygonal apse. At the south end of the church is a three-arched structure resembling a bellcote, but without bells.[1] Below the arches is a niche containing a statue of Christ,[9] and under this is a rose window. The bays along the sides of the church are divided by gabled buttresses. Each aisle bay contains a two-light window, and in each bay of the clerestory is a taller three-light window.[1] The windows contain Decorated-style tracery.[9] The doors at the south end of the church and on the sides are in oak with beaten copper cladding in Art Nouveau style designed by Richard Llewellyn Rathbone.[10]

Church interior

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Inside the church, the nave is wide and the aisles are narrow, forming passages. The arcades are carried on round piers. The walls of the chancel curve forward to incorporate the pulpit on one side and the reading desk on the other. Above the pulpit is a sounding board, the underside of which is lined with beaten copper. On the front of the pulpit is a shield inscribed with Fiat Lux (Let there be light), and on the front of the reading desk is a carved eagle. Behind the altar is a wooden reredos carved by H. H. Martyn & Co. of Cheltenham based on Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. On each side of the chancel are finely carved wooden choir stalls. Above those on the east side is an elaborate canopy in memory of Henry Tate carved by C. J. Allen.[11] The font was also carved by Allen; it is movable and was designed by Ronald Potter Jones.[12] When it was built, the church was wired for electricity. This supplied power for the series of copper electroliers in the nave, which are in Arts and Crafts style and made by the Artificers' Guild of London.[13]

The stained glass in the windows of the chancel, and in eight of the clerestory windows, was made by Morris & Co., based on designs by Edward Burne-Jones, and dated between 1901 and 1928. Of the later windows, two were made by James Powell and Sons of Whitefriars, and a third by William Wilson of Edinburgh.[14] The three-manual pipe organ was moved to the present church from Renshaw Street. It had been built in 1869 by William Hill & Son, and repaired between 1873 and 1883 by Gray and Davidson.[15] It was rebuilt in 1910 by Rushworth and Dreaper, and overhauled by the same firm in 1937.[16]

Vestry and library

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To the east of the chancel are the vestry and the library. These were commissioned by Sir John Brunner and contain ceiling paintings by Gerald Moira. In the vestry the paintings are in four oval panels, and depict the virtues of Fortitude, Temperance, Justice, and Charity. The library ceiling reflects the allegory of the Triumph of Truth. It depicts the images of philosophers, writers and religious figures, and incorporates a portrait of Brunner. The main figure represents Truth held by Father Time. Originally depicted naked, the artist was persuaded to clothe her in "classical but revealing drapery".[17]

Hall and cloister

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Church Hall

To the east of the library is a cloister leading to the church hall. These were designed by Percy Worthington and have been designated separately from the church at Grade I. They form an L-shaped plan, with the hall standing parallel to the church. Like the church, they are in red brick, with stone dressings and slate roofs.[2] This part of the complex was paid for by Sir John Brunner and the son of Henry Tate. The cloister contains memorials moved from the previous chapels.[18] They include a bust of William Roscoe by John Gibson; memorials to Edward Rathbone who died in 1834, also by Gibson; to William Rathbone, who died in 1868, by J. H. Foley; to Charles Beard, who died in 1888, by J. E. Boehm; and to William Rathbone, who died in 1902, by C. J. Allen.[9] The hall "has the appearance of a medieval banqueting hall".[18] It is in five irregular bays; its roof is arch-braced, and it contains an arcade on its west side incorporating a large fireplace. Over the fireplace are the carved arms of the Brunner and Tate families.[2] Rising from the centre of the open-timber roof is a lantern surmounted by a cupola with an ogee-shaped roof. On the south side of the hall is a canted bay window, and on the east side is a smaller circular bay window.[9]

External features

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Together, the buildings are grouped around three sides of a central garden. The authors of the Buildings of England series comment that this gives a "collegiate feel",[9] a reference to an architectural quadrangle. The grading citations state that they form "one of the most elaborate Non-conformist ensembles in the country".[1][2] The gardens are enclosed by a wall and gates that are designated at Grade II. The walls are in brick, with a stone plinth, coping and dressings.[19] The original church entrance gates and the railings were designed by the architects, and constructed by George Wragge. The railings were removed during the Second World War. The gates were renovated and rehung in 1988, but were stolen a few weeks later.[20]

Present day

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Regular services are held in the church, and both the church and the hall are used for a variety of functions, including concerts and dances.[21] Children are introduced to the church by a ceremony of Blessing (rather than by baptism).[22] Weddings and funerals are arranged by the church.[23][24] On 6 May 2012 it became the first place of worship in the United Kingdom to register a civil partnership for a same-sex couple.[3]

[edit]
  • West front
    West front
  • Exterior of cloister and church hall
    Exterior of cloister and church hall
  • Stained glass in western Rose window
    Stained glass in western Rose window
  • Nave looking west
    Nave looking west
  • Nave looking east
    Nave looking east
  • High altar, reredos Last Supper carved by H.H. Martyn of Cheltenham, stained glass designed by Edward Burne-Jones and executed by William Morris
    High altar, reredos Last Supper carved by H.H. Martyn of Cheltenham, stained glass designed by Edward Burne-Jones and executed by William Morris
  • NorthWest window in apse, depicting "suffer the little children". Memorial to George Melly (d. 1894)
    NorthWest window in apse, depicting "suffer the little children". Memorial to George Melly (d. 1894)
  • The east window in apse, by Burne-Jones/Morris Co. depicting Jesus as the Tree of Life, surrounded by the evangelists.
    The east window in apse, by Burne-Jones/Morris Co. depicting Jesus as the Tree of Life, surrounded by the evangelists.
  • Northeast widow in apse, by Burne-Jones/Morris Co. depicting the ascension. Memorial to George Holt (d.1896)
    Northeast widow in apse, by Burne-Jones/Morris Co. depicting the ascension. Memorial to George Holt (d.1896)
  • The choir stalls and organ
    The choir stalls and organ
  • The font
    The font
  • The Vestry
    The Vestry
  • The Library
    The Library
  • The Cloister
    The Cloister
  • The Cloister
    The Cloister
  • Memorial to William Roscoe, in cloister, carved by John Gibson
    Memorial to William Roscoe, in cloister, carved by John Gibson
  • Edward Roscoe Memorial, in cloister, by John Gibson
    Edward Roscoe Memorial, in cloister, by John Gibson
  • William Rathbone V memorial in cloister, by John Henry Foley
    William Rathbone V memorial in cloister, by John Henry Foley
  • Memorial to Henry Booth, in cloister
    Memorial to Henry Booth, in cloister
  • Memorial to Charles Beard, Minister of the church, in cloister, by Joseph Edgar Boehm
    Memorial to Charles Beard, Minister of the church, in cloister, by Joseph Edgar Boehm
  • Memorial to Benson Rathbone, in cloister
    Memorial to Benson Rathbone, in cloister
  • Memorial to William Rathbone VI, in cloister, by C.J. Allen
    Memorial to William Rathbone VI, in cloister, by C.J. Allen

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ullet Road Unitarian Church.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Historic England, "Unitarian Chapel, Liverpool (1218227)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 16 March 2012
  2. ^ a b c d Historic England, "Unitarian Church Hall, Liverpool (1359872)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 16 March 2012
  3. ^ a b Jaleel, Gemma (11 June 2012), "Liverpool gay couple make history by holding civil partnership in a church", liverpoolecho, retrieved 4 January 2018
  4. ^ Find a Congregation: Liverpool, The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (Great Britain), retrieved 16 March 2012
  5. ^ Mooney 1996, pp. 8–9.
  6. ^ a b Mooney 1996, p. 14.
  7. ^ History, Ullet Road Unitarian Church, retrieved 16 March 2012
  8. ^ Mooney 1996, p. 15.
  9. ^ a b c d e Pollard & Pevsner 2006, pp. 449–451.
  10. ^ Mooney 1996, pp. 16–17.
  11. ^ Mooney 1996, pp. 17–19.
  12. ^ Mooney 1996, p. 21.
  13. ^ Mooney 1996, p. 23.
  14. ^ Mooney 1996, pp. 19–21.
  15. ^ "NPOR [R01145]", National Pipe Organ Register, British Institute of Organ Studies, retrieved 2 July 2020
  16. ^ "NPOR [N01780]", National Pipe Organ Register, British Institute of Organ Studies, retrieved 2 July 2020
  17. ^ Mooney 1996, pp. 23–24.
  18. ^ a b Mooney 1996, p. 26.
  19. ^ Historic England, "Wall and gates to Unitarian chapel and Church Hall, Liverpool (1292058)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 16 March 2012
  20. ^ Mooney 1996, p. 27.
  21. ^ Activities, Ullet Road Unitarian Church, retrieved 17 March 2012
  22. ^ Child Blessing, Ullet Road Unitarian Church, retrieved 17 March 2012
  23. ^ Weddings, Ullet Road Unitarian Church, retrieved 17 March 2012
  24. ^ Funerals, Ullet Road Unitarian Church, retrieved 17 March 2012

Bibliography

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