| Saltaire United Reformed Church | |
|---|---|
 The western frontage of the church | |
| Location | Saltaire, West Yorkshire |
| Coordinates | 53°50′20″N1°47′27″W / 53.83889°N 1.79083°W /53.83889; -1.79083 |
| OS grid reference | SE 138 381 |
| Built | 1858–1859 |
| Architect | Lockwood andMawson |
| Architectural style | Italianate Classical |
Listed Building – Grade I | |
| Designated | 22 November 1966 |
| Reference no. | 1314229 |
  Location withinWest Yorkshire | |
Saltaire United Reformed Church (originally Saltaire Congregational Church) is a church atSaltaire,West Yorkshire, England. Commissioned and paid for byTitus Salt in the mid 19th century, the church is aGrade I listed building and sits within the SaltaireWorld Heritage Site.
When Titus Salt, a devoted member of theCongregational church,[1] commenced the design and construction of hismodel village at Saltaire, a Congregational church was the first public building commissioned.[2] Salt donated the land and paid for the cost of the church himself, a cost of £16,000 (equivalent to £2,033,909 in 2023).[3]
The church was designed, as was the rest of Saltaire, by the Bradford-based architect partnership of Lockwood and Mawson in theItalianate Classical style.[4] Local firms were used for the works. The firm of John Ives did the woodwork and carvings while Moulton Brothers undertook the masonry work.[5]
Since 1972 the church has been known as Saltaire United Reformed Church following the merger of Congregational Church in England and Wales and the Presbyterian Church of England.[6]
The ceiling of the church was badly damaged and partially collapsed due to being affected byStorm Dennis in February 2020.[7] In April 2021 the architects employed by the church reported that a contract for repairs to the plasterwork would be awarded by the insurers while grant aid for other building works and improved security was being sought.[8][9]
The foundation stone of the church was laid by Caroline Salt (wife of Titus) in 1856 and opened in 1859. Built from local stone with anashlar finish. Thenave has no aisle and on the western end has a semi-circularportico. The portico is topped by a round tower with a clock at each quarter and above that an octagonal array of columns with a dome.[4] The main part of the church is roofed with Welsh slate and has large plain windows.[4] The organ was an 1890 addition and was built by Huddersfield firmConacher and Co and subsequently rebuilt twice.[10] A pair of large chandeliers, originally gas lit, hang on the centre line of the nave ceiling. On the south side of the nave is the Salt familymausoleum where Sir Titus Salt was buried in 1877.[1][11]
