Church of the Week
Whitehead, County Antrim
Whitehead Methodist Church in Antrim, built in 1899, was designed in response to the Arts and Crafts Movement. The movement emphasised the importance of craftsmanship, creativity and good design that combined function and beauty, in a world where mass-produced goods were becoming increasingly common, and its influence reached all corners of the design world, from architecture and garden design to wallpaper and jewellery. While the ethos of the movement was more important than any specific aesthetic, Arts and Crafts designs often featured simple forms, traditional features, nature-inspired designs and a focus on highlighting high-quality and often local materials. Architect Herbert Sykes built Whitehead Methodist Church with these principles in mind, and visitors to the church can see it reflected in the elegant simplicity of the space. Whitehead Methodist Church has been at the heart of its community since it was in built, but in 2021, dry rot threatened its future. We were able to award the church a £20,000 grant from the Historic Environment Division at Northern Ireland’s Department for Communities to treat the dry rot. Along with new facilities like a kitchen and toilets, the church is now prepared for the future.
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