The foundation stones were laid on 1 October 1886 by Sir W G McArthur KCMG, the Lord Mayor of York, the City Sheriff and other aldermen. It was designed by the architect Charles Bell.[1] It was "the third great Wesleyan chapel" built within York in a short period of time[2] when it opened as 'Southlands Chapel' on 13 October 1887. It has twin towers on either side of an ornamental window and is built of white Walling Fen brick. There was accommodation for 750 persons in a large central hall with fifteen schoolrooms opening upon it; the cost was £6,641 (equivalent to £932,793 in 2023).[3]
An organ was installed in 1893 at a cost of £438 (equivalent to £61,362 in 2023).[3] In 1920 a hall was erected to provide accommodation for the Young Men's Association and other recreational activities; it is a memorial to church members who fell in the First World War and cost £1,753[4] (equivalent to £88,941 in 2023).[3]
In 1905 the membership of Southlands was hit when the York locomotive works moved to Darlington, with the relocation of 2000 workers.[2]
^Tillott, P M, ed. (1961). "Protestant Nonconformity". A History of the County of York: the City of York. London: Victoria County House. pp. 404–418. Retrieved 2 May 2020 – via British History Online.
