Historic Chapels Trust


The Historic Chapels Trust is a British Registered Charity set up to care for redundant non-Anglican churches, chapels, and places of worship in England. To date, its holdings encompass various nonconformist Christian denominations and Roman Catholic sites.

Foundation

Established in 1993, the Trust takes into ownership buildings of exceptional architectural and historic significance that are no longer used by their congregations. In practice this means buildings listed Grade I or II* by English Heritage. It was founded in response to the large number of places of worship that were being demolished or destroyed by insensitive conversion and it remains the only body with this mission in England.

Activities

Once acquired, the buildings are repaired and restored, and then available for new, mostly secular, community uses. The places of worship can be of any denomination or faith, other than the Anglican Church. To date they have included Nonconformist chapels of the Methodist, Unitarian, Baptist, Lutheran denominations, two Congregationalist chapels, two Quaker meeting houses and four Roman Catholic churches. The Trust has the power to take synagogues and non-Christian places of worship but in spite of negotiations has not yet done so. The Trust arranges for the chapels to be open to the public at advertised times, and wherever possible it introduces disabled access. Its policy is that the chapels should be used for community activities, including concerts, lectures, conferences, exhibitions, and any other activity compatible with conservation of the building. The Trust also encourages the use of the buildings for services of worship.
At about half of its sites the Trust has formed a volunteer local committee to organise events, arrange occasional services of worship. At others it engages volunteers as key-holders and to assist with the maintenance of sites. Whenever possible and appropriate, the Trust installs modern heating and lighting, kitchens and toilets. In 2012 the Trust declared a moratorium on rescuing new sites unless they are donated together with endowment funds, a policy it will review if finances allow.
Executive Directors of the Trust were Dr.Jenny Freeman 1993 – 2011. On her retirement Dr Freeman was awarded an OBE for her services to heritage. Roland Jeffery held the post of Director 2013–2018.

Finances

The Trust has no endowment and receives no direct government grant. Its resources are won from English Heritage, the Heritage Lottery Fund, money earned by events at the buildings, grants from trusts and foundations, legacies from Supporters and donations from individuals and Patrons. This is in contrast with the larger Churches Conservation Trust, which received 70 percent of its funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Church of England but which can only take into care Anglican buildings.

Governance

The Trust is a secular UK registered charity and operates only in England. Since 2015 the President of the Trust is the Rt Hon Lord Beith.In 2018 the charity announced that because of the uncertainty of future funding the Trust's office would close with immediate effect and its work would be managed on its behalf by the Churches Conservation Trust, an Anglican not for profit organisation.

Rescued Places of Worship

In spite of its meagre resources the Trust has to date rescued 20 properties. Some have been semi-derelict buildings, such as the Dissenters' Chapel in Kensal Green Cemetery, and Salem Chapel in East Budleigh, Devon. Some chapels are in remote locations, such as Biddlestone Chapel in Northumberland, Farfield Friends Meeting House in West Yorkshire, and Penrose Methodist Chapel in Cornwall. Others are in urban areas, such as Wallasey Memorial Unitarian Church in Merseyside, and St George's German Lutheran Church in London. Some are small and simple, large and elaborate buildings, such as the Bethesda Methodist Chapel in Hanley, Staffordshire, Todmorden Unitarian Church in West Yorkshire, Umberslade Baptist Church in the West Midlands, and the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Blackpool, Lancashire. During the first 13 years of its existence, the Trust won ten architectural awards, including a Europa Nostra Award for the Dissenters' Chapel.
NameLocationPhotographDateNotesGrade
Farfield Friends Meeting HouseAddingham,
West Yorkshire
1689This is a small, simple Quaker meeting house built immediately after the Act of Toleration, on land previously used as a burial ground. Outside the meeting house are five chest tombs of an unusual type for a Quaker burial ground.II*
Walpole Old ChapelWalpole, Suffolk
1689Built as soon as allowed by the Act of Toleration, the chapel was converted from an existing farmhouse. Initially used by a group of Independent Christians, it later became a Congregational chapel. In the 1860s, it was taken over by the Primitive Methodists.II*
Cote Baptist ChapelBampton, Oxfordshire
1703–04The chapel was built for a group of Baptists originating on the other side of the River Thames. It was enlarged in the 1750s, and in the late 1850s underwent an extensive restoration. Following another restoration in the 1990s, it is now used for weddings, concerts, and other events.II*
Salem ChapelEast Budleigh, Devon
1719Initially a Presbyterian chapel, it was later used by Congregationalists, and then by the Assemblies of God. Adjacent to it is a separate assembly room. It is now used for concerts and other events, weddings, and the occasional church service.II*
Coanwood Friends Meeting HouseHaltwhistle, Northumberland
1720This meeting house stands in an isolated position and is unchanged since it was built, other than the replacement of its thatched roof with slates. The interior retains its original layout, with rows of benches for the congregation and elders still in place. In the burial ground are typical Quaker gravestones, some of which commemorate the Wigham family, who helped to found the meeting house.II*
Grittleton Strict Baptist ChapelGrittleton, Wiltshire
—The chapel opened in 1721. It has a rectangular plan with a tiled roof. Inside there are galleries at each end. Under the north gallery is a vestry, in front of which is a pulpit with a staircase and preacher's seat. In the body of the chapel are box pews and a child's pew.II*
St George's German Lutheran Church
1762–63St George's was the fifth Lutheran church to be built in London, and continued to be used by Lutherans until 1996. It now contains the offices of the Historic Chapels Trust and is also used for concerts, organ recitals, and other events.II*
St Benet's ChapelNetherton, Merseyside
1793Although it was built after the Catholic Relief Acts that allowed Roman Catholics to worship openly, the chapel is concealed behind the presbytery that appears from the road to be a "standard two-bay house". It retains some of its original fittings, and as of 2010 it is being restored as it would have been before the Second Vatican Council. The presbytery is used as a residence for retired priests.II*
Bethesda Methodist ChapelHanley,
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
1819Once known as the "Cathedral of the Potteries", it was built for the Methodist New Connexion. An elaborate portico was added to its frontage in 1859. During the 20th century its congregation declined and its fabric deteriorated, leading to its closure in 1985. Repairs costing £2.5 million are under way as of 2010.II*
Biddlestone ChapelBiddlestone, Northumberland
The chapel stands in a remote location and was built as a private chapel for Biddlestone Hall by the Roman Catholic Selby family. The hall has been demolished, but the chapel has been retained. It was built on the remains of a medieval pele tower, incorporating some of its fabric.II*
Dissenters' Chapel
1832The first purpose-built Nonconformist chapel to be built in a public cemetery, its condition had deteriorated so much that its wings were demolished in the 1970s. Later that decade, the chapel underwent a major restoration, including rebuilding the wings, and restoring the original painting scheme.II*
Thorndon Park ChapelThorndon Park, Essex
This was built as the private Roman Catholic chantry chapel and mausoleum for the Petre family in the grounds of Thorndon Hall. It was designed by William Wardell, and is in Decorated style. The interior has an elaborately decorated roof, including depictions of angels, and a richly carved reredos.II*
Wainsgate Baptist ChurchHebden Bridge,
West Yorkshire
1859–60The chapel stands in an elevated position overlooking Hebden Bridge. Attached to the rear of the chapel is the former manse, converted into a school in 1890. The chapel closed in 2001, and is now a venue for concerts and other events.II*
Todmorden Unitarian ChurchTodmorden,
West Yorkshire
1865–69The church was built by the Fielden family, local mill owners, and it is constructed using the best quality materials. It was designed by John Gibson in Gothic style with a large spire high. Following a £1 million programme of repairs, which included restoration of the surrounding landscape and burial ground, it is now used for occasional services, weddings and other events.I
Westgate Methodist ChapelBishop Auckland,
County Durham
1871Built for the Primitive Methodists, the chapel closed in 2007. It retains its Victorian layout, complete with the original pews, gallery, windows, a "magnificent organ", and much detailed decoration.II*
Umberslade Baptist ChurchHockley Heath,
West Midlands
1877George Ingall designed the church for the Baptist George Frederick Muntz, junior, of Umberslade Hall. It is constructed in blue lias stone in Decorated style with a spire, and has much elaborate detail. Repairs costing about £500,000 were completed in 2008.II
Penrose Methodist ChapelSt Ervan, Cornwall
—1861The chapel's plan is a simple rectangle with a single storey. Its interior retains its original layout, with box pews, and benches in the area once occupied by the musicians and choir.II*
Longworth Roman Catholic ChapelBartestree, Herefordshire
—1869–70Originally the medieval chapel to the manor house at Old Longworth, it was used for agricultural purposes after the Reformation. The chapel was restored in 1851, then moved to a site adjacent to convent at Bartestree in 1869–70. It is probable that the move and rebuilding were supervised by E. W. Pugin.II*
Wallasey Memorial Unitarian ChurchWallasey, Merseyside
—1899Designed by Edmund Waring and Edmund Rathbone in Arts and Crafts style, the church is constructed in brick with stone dressings. Many of the internal fittings were designed by Art Nouveau craftsmen from the Bromsgrove Guild.II*
Shrine of Our Lady of LourdesBlackpool, Lancashire
1955–57The shrine was built as a thanksgiving for the relatively small amount of damage sustained by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lancaster during the Second World War. It was designed by Francis Xavier Verlarde and is constructed in Portland stone with copper cladding to its roof and flèche. As of 2010 the shrine is being converted into a community centre.II*

Key

GradeCriteria
IBuildings of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important
II*Particularly important buildings of more than special interest
IIBuildings of national importance and special interest