Congregational Church, The Crescent, Hest Bank

Built in 1902-1903 to the designs of Dan Gibson. Mawson was subsequently involved in the internal decoration and it would seem in the re-design of the porch. Mawson arranged for a wooden screen by Simpson of Kendal, who also provided the pulpit. The communion table was the gift of Dan Gibson. Mawson wrote to William Lever requesting a donation towards the cost of the screen. In contributing Lever also invited Mawson to improve the gardens at Thornton Hough.

A VILLAGE CHAPEL. To the Editor of The Builders’ Journal, Sir, I think some explanation is necessary to my design for the interior of a village chapel hung in this year's Academy and illustrated on p. 292 of your issue for May 24th. The interior is that of a small Congregational church erected in the delightful golfing village of Hest Bank on Morecambe Bay, near Lancaster, at which place I have a summer cottage. Nearly three years ago, acting on my advice, the building committee of the Centenary Congregational Church, Lancaster, employed Mr. Dan Gibson, architect, of Windermere, to prepare plans, which were in every way suitable and most ably designed, but, as so often happens, the designs “in committee” were reduced to something less than barren necessity. It was in this state that I found the church, which I had hoped would mark the beginning of better days for village free church architecture (a wide field, let me add, entirely untouched by either reverent designers or craftsmen); and my work, which has been purely a work of love, and so far has been carried on without encroaching on the funds of the church, has been to give a little colour and _ interest to the bald and bare interior. As always happens, this work is now costing more than was saved by the reduction of the architect’s design, but I have had the sympathy of a few enthusiasts like myself, and the financial help of many onlookers, including Colonel Sandys, M.P., Mr. George White, M.P., Mr. W. H. Lever, Mr. S. J. Waring and many others, whilst Mr. Carnegie has offered to give the second half towards a new organ, the case of which I have designed; but to complete the scheme many more helpers are still required. Behind the screen shown in the drawing there are curtains hung. The screen reduces the size of the church by one-fourth for the greater comfort of the small winter congregation. The seating capacity inside the screen is seventy-two. The four centre panels fold back, allowing seating accommodation for an additional twenty-four. The carving for the screen and pulpit is being executed by Mr. Arthur Simpson, of Kendal; the stencil decoration on roof will, I am afraid, have to wait for some time, as the other work will exhaust the funds in hand. In conclusion I ought to add that whilst this work has been personal and honorary, the architect responsible for the building has been consulted and has generously advised on many matters for the completion of what has been to me a very interesting piece of work.—Yours very truly, THOMAS W. MAWSON, Hon. A.R.I.B.A. P.S.—“ The Corbels,” illustrated in your issue for May 24th, is my own residence when at Windermere. [Builders’ Journal 7 June 1905 page 319]

Reference    Builders Journal 24 May 1905 page 292 - interior
Reference    Builders’ Journal 7 June 1905 page 319 - correspondence