History
The Chapel History
The early Baptists met in various places around the Green, including private homes as well as various purpose built, meeting houses. This Place of Worship was founded in 1747, Kelly's Directory of 1923 says it was first erected about 1747, and rebuilt in 1833. The return describes a separate building, used exclusively as a place of worship, with seats for 240, all free, to which there is an additional note that "there is no charge for sitting but families who regularly attend have their own seats usually, for convenience' sake". The expected attendance on Mary 30 1851 was 139 in the morning, and 80 Sunday Scholars, and 150 in the afternoon, with 72 Sunday scholars.
The early Baptists met in various places around the Green, including private homes as well as various purpose built, meeting houses. The current meeting house was built in 1833; and we can be quite confident of this dating because of the presence of a plaque high on the outside of the West wall (at the back of the meeting house) which bears that date.
Whilst the building has been added to in the 1950s the integrity of the original building has been maintained. The main part of the building is a classic example of a Baptist meeting house, with all seating directed toward the pulpit; this is to demonstrate the importance of the preaching of the word of God. The complex decoration of the stained glass windows provide a rare example of Baptist iconography: the cross and the crown demonstrate the link between suffering and glory, the lamp and the Bible typify the idea of the Bible as the light by which we find our path.
Another room from the original building was built as a school room, set up under the British and Foreign Schools Society. In the early part of the nineteenth century the village accommodated two schools, run by the Baptist and Anglican churches.
Although the church had seen a decline in attendance in the last few years, we are now experiencing growth both in numbers and involvement in village life. The church continues to look to serve God and the community and increasingly see our mission to be directed outward, in engaging with the community outside of our building.
The Chapel is not generally open outside of service times, but viewings can be arranged by appointment
