The Central Congregational Church is an historic church building located at 218 Walnut Street, in the village of
Newtonville in
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located roughly west of Downtown Boston, and comprises a patchwork of thirteen villages. The city borders Boston to the northeast and southeast (via the neighborhoods of ...
. Built in 1895, it is the only ecclesiastical work in the city by the noted
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
architects
Hartwell and Richardson
Hartwell and Richardson was a Boston, Massachusetts architectural firm established in 1881, by Henry Walker Hartwell (1833–1919) and William Cummings Richardson (1854–1935). The firm contributed significantly to the current building stock and ...
, and one of its finest examples of
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe that was predominant in the 11th and 12th centuries. The style eventually developed into the Gothic style with the shape of the arches providing a simple distinction: the Ro ...
. The building was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 1986. Since September 7, 2003, it has been the Newton Campus of the Boston Chinese Evangelical Church.
Newton Campus of the Boston Chinese Evangelical Church web page
Description and history
The Central Congregational Church is set on the east side of Walnut Street near the center of the village of Newtonville. It is a substantial granite structure, with a slate roof and a square four-story tower. The main sanctuary is oriented east-west, with turrets at the corners, beyond which entrance pavilions extend to either side. The entry on the right continues to the tower, which has a decoratively-louvered belfry below a flared pyramidal roof.[
The congregation that built the church was organized in 1868. This church was built for it in 1895, designed by ]Hartwell and Richardson
Hartwell and Richardson was a Boston, Massachusetts architectural firm established in 1881, by Henry Walker Hartwell (1833–1919) and William Cummings Richardson (1854–1935). The firm contributed significantly to the current building stock and ...
; it is possible that partner William C. Richardson
William Chase Richardson (May 11, 1940 – May 18, 2021) received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Trinity College (Connecticut) and a Master in Business Administration degree (1964) and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (1971).Stacy Hanna, "'I ...
was a parishioner—he lived in Newtonville at the time. The firm also designed a number of other buildings in Newton, including the Masonic Building
List of Masonic buildings identifies notable buildings around the world associated with Freemasonry. Often these are significant landmarks in their towns or cities, and reflect the influence of Masons at one time. Most are buildings built for e ...
in Newtonville in 1896, but this is the only church they designed in Newton.
See also
*
References
External links
Newton Campus of the Boston Chinese Evangelical Church web page
{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
National Register of Historic Places in Newton, Massachusetts
Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
United Church of Christ churches in Massachusetts
Churches in Newton, Massachusetts
Stone churches in Massachusetts
Hartwell and Richardson buildings
Churches completed in 1895
1895 establishments in Massachusetts