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Summary

Description

John Melvin (senior), dated 1873. Tall single storey with attic, 6-bay Gothic chapel, with 3-stage square tower to left. Stugged, squared and snecked rubble with ashlar dressings and long and short quoins. Base course, moulded cill course at ground floor with square stop to E, linked to stepped hoodmoulding over door to right to N elevation. Chamfered openings. Projecting cills. Predominantly shouldered arched window surrounds. Some stepped hoodmoulding to ground floor windows. Gabled dormers breaking eaves with louvered trefoil inset and Latin cross finial to 2 outer right bays.

N (GREENSIDE STREET) ELEVATION: prominent off centre gable with stepped coping; shouldered arched bipartite window with chamfered mullion flanked by shorter pointed arched windows, blind roundels separating windows, all set within arched shallow recess; louvered quatrefoil carving at gable apex. 3-stage tower to outer left with stages divided by moulded string courses: shouldered arched doorway and stepped hoodmoulding, plaque above with inscription 'GREENSIDE MISSION CHAPEL 1873', round arched bipartite windows with lugs to 2nd stage, 3rd stage with tripartite round-arched louvered windows and projecting cill, bracketed corniced eaves course. Pyramidal fish scale and diaper pattern slate roof with bellcast eaves and brattishing to small platform.

E ELEVATION: 3 round arched windows, louvered roundel above. Square finials to apex with iron brattishing between.

W ELEVATION: pair of shouldered arched blind windows at attic, louvered roundel above. Later single storey monopitched concrete block extension.

S ELEVATION: similar to N, abutting Alloa Old Kirkyard Wall (see separate listing)

Variety of non-traditional windows. 2-leaf timber doors. Grey slates, dormered and louvered vents close to ridge of main hall, coped ashlar skews with stepped skewputt. Coped ashlar stacks.

INTERIOR: comprehensively remodelled. Gallery to main hall with replacement gallery front. Stone stair with well-detailed cast-iron balusters and timber handrail to tower.

Statement of Special Interest

Place of worship in use as such. B Group with Old Paton's Mill School.

Greenside Mission Chapel, designed by local architect John Melvin, is a well detailed Gothic chapel, which makes a significant contribution to the local streetscape. It is sited on key thoroughfare in Alloa and the exterior of the building is largely unaltered high quality architectural features such as the square tower and stonework.

Constructed to provide meeting accommodation for the Alloa Young Men's Christian Association the building was funded by their honorary president, David Paton of Tillicoultry. It originally consisted of a large hall with gallery that could accommodate over 500 people, and two class-rooms in the two right bays. The Annual Register for the Country of Clackmannanshire describes the interior of the hall as 'artistically finished, the pannellings and moulding round the wood-work being all richly carved, while it is lighted up with a rich gasalier, and has a brilliant appearance', however this no longer remains. Formally opened in July 1873 the building took two years to construct and was originally under the supervision of Moncrieff United Park Church. Services continued until 1949.

John Melvin senior was a prolific architect of churches, principally for the United Presbyterian Church as he was a member. He established an architectural practice in his native town of Alloa in 1826, and designed many buildings in the area. He commenced his career as a joiner in the family business and frequently combined this with his architecture, executing the joinery work at his buildings. His principal clients were the Paton family. His son, John Melvin Junior became a partner in his father's practice in circa 1874.

The Paton family founded their wealth in the spinning and drying of wool. Commencing as John Paton's cottage industry the company was to become the largest wool spinning company in Great Britain, with its principal mill, Kilncraigs, in Alloa (see separate listing) near the site of this chapel. After amalgamation in 1920, the company was known as Patons and Baldwins. The family became generous benefactors to the town. John Thomson Paton funded the town hall and public library which opened in 1888, and Alexander Paton funded Old Paton's Mill School (see separate listing) which is adjacent to the church. The Paton family supported The Temperance Movement and encouraged locals to join churches.

The chapel is now occupied by the Forth Valley Christian Centre, affiliated to Elim Pentecostal Church. The interior has been substantially remodelled with the original classroom converted into a café and flat.

References

Bibliography

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