In praise of decay

I visited Stoke-on-Trent's Bethesda Chapel this weekend. It's known as the Cathedral of Methodism - a huge, plain, beautiful building which has been left to rot for decades. The mob were allowed in this weekend for the last time before restoration begins.

I'm seeing it as a metaphor for the Labour Party, which was famously founded 'more on Methodism than on Marx' (unfortunately). It's a spare, elegant edifice based on sound principles - primarily equality and co-operation - which has been abandoned for flashier, short-term obsessions.

My photo-essay is here. Click on these samples for bigger images.

internal door detail

Whatever the Methodist equivalent of a sacristy is.

Light fitting

Almost intact window

light fittings

Main body, ground floor

Organ pipes

The Chapel is being restored to public (and thankfully secular) use by the Historic Chapels Trust and other bodies - send them some money now.