Methodist Central Hall Woodhall Road Ashington Northumberland

 Methodist Central Hall, 1923 by Brocklehurst & Co. of Manchester, incorporating older chapel as schoolroom. Brick in stretcher bond, glazed on front elevation, with white terracotta dressings and tower; left return and rear rendered; Welsh slate roof with red tile cresting and leaded dome. Art Deco style.  Street front in 2 sections. Moulded plinth. 3-bay right part has rusticated centre and pilasters. Central panelled double doors with tripartite overlight in keyed round arch with imposts, under frieze carrying flame-shaped lamps; above is octagonal tower with 3-light window and tall cross under canopy, the tower top swept back and moulded with small window at base of dome capped by tall finial. Flanking 2-storey bays have end pilasters carrying heavy entablature with modillion cornice, and blocking course; tripartite windows under moulded cornices. To left is schoolroom with 3-bay gabled front showing pilasters with ornamental frieze; centre bay has segmental bow with domed top. Transomed windows, moulded gable coping. Single-storey link bay between Hall and schoolroom has round-arched doorway with half-glazed double doors under leaded fanlight, and arched window to right.  Left return of schoolroom shows five 15-pane sash windows. Right return of Hall 2 storeys, 8 bays, with brick pilasters; terracotta 1st floor band and cornice. Projecting end bays have half-glazed double doors in raised surrounds with keyed lintels. Upper windows round-arched.  All windows in Hall and link bay have patterned leaded glazing. Hipped roof with overhanging eaves and small bellcote on ridge.

 Interior. Main hall seats 1,000. Curving panelled gallery with foliate cornice, on long cantilevers. Panelled rostrum with brass rail on openwork standards, flanked by curving steps; curving stepped platform behind rises to segmental proscenium arch on panelled pilasters, holding organ. Double panelled doors with leaded glazing and illuminable EXIT panels above. Tiers of hinged seats. At rear of gallery, 2nd floor of tower is projector room. Segmental- arched ceiling with plaster strapwork over girder trusses.  Entrance lobby flanked by stone open-well stairs with cast iron balustrades and moulded handrails; similar stairs in rear lobbies. Schoolroom has arch- braced collar-beam roof on stone corbels.

Built at a cost of £19,217 17s 3d, of which £10,800 donated by the J. Arthur Rank Trust.