A 158-year-old Dalston church made of corrugated iron is to be sold via online auction after previous attempts to sell failed due to a high asking price.
The “Tin Tabernacle” as it is known is located on Shrubland Road and is said to be the oldest example of its kind still standing in Britain. The move to auction it has raised fears amongst historians and residents over the fate of the Grade II-listed building.
The church, which has been home to the Sight of Eternal Life congregation since 1971, originally went on sale at £3m, but has now been listed on auction site Lot11, with a guide price of under £2m. The auction will take place on June 8.
The Tin Tabernacle, which standing alone looks like it would be more at home in the USA’s deep south, was built for Presbyterians in 1858. The church and others like it were prefabricated buildings constructed of corrugated iron covering a timber frame.
The roof of the church was replaced with asbestos in 1975, which will be costly to repair or dispose of, something which potential buyers may factor in when deciding what will happen to the church.
Nick Perry, a spokesperson for the Hackney Society, told EastLondonLines: “It’s current use will be considered in any planning application and community uses are safeguarded in policy to an extent, but against that will be the costly repair and need to preserve the built heritage.
“One thing’s for certain, someone paying the guide price or more will be paying a significant premium in excess of it’s current use value – and one they’ll presumably do their best to recover through change of use.”.
Kevin Coughter, chief executive of Lot11, is more optimistic about the tabernacle’s future. He said: “I wouldn’t imagine it would be developed into flats given the sensitivity of the building.
“I think this is the most unique thing we have ever sold. Personally, I would like to see it remain as it has been, or used for the community.”
Some residents went online to share their memories of the church. Commenting on Lovingdalston, John L James said: “My parents, John and Ethel James (née Noakes) were married in this church in 1938.
“Friends my parents made then lasted a lifetime (each was nearly 96 when they died) despite moves from London to Bognor Regis. I am glad that [the] ‘Shrub’ has a protection order on it. Its walls resound to many memories.”
My Father, Sidney Garnish, was the Scout Master at the “Shrub” for many years and we are previliged to still be in contact with one of the lads in his troop – as a child I went oce a month for the journey, by several buses, from Palmers Green to Dalston for the morning service, after which we had tea or coffee around the fire stoves at the back for cosy gatherings together with the other members of the congregation. Special memories of a very small but close community & long term friends. Sheila Manning (nee Garnish)