Baptist Chapel, Great Warford
Encyclopedia
Baptist Chapel, Great Warford is located in Merryman's Lane in the village of Great Warford
, Cheshire
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building.
, who had been meeting in local farmhouses, acquired this building. At that time it consisted of a contiguous barn and cottage. The barn was converted into a meeting place for the worshippers. The early trustee
s were prominent Baptists. In 1813 the building was divided into two, the west part becoming a cottage for the minister and the east end continuing as the chapel.
with wattle and daub
infill. In the 1813 rebuilding the south, east and west walls were replaced by brick and it is likely that the infill in the north wall was replaced by brick. The north wall is still timber-framed with ten oak uprights and four horizontals at different levels. On its ground floor are three two-light casement window
s and on the first floor two two-light casement windows which are placed irregularly. The south front is in six bays
. The two-storey cottage on the left has to the west a splayed-head doorway. To the right on the ground floor are two two-light windows and on the first floor one two-light window and a datestone inscribed "WBC 1813". The chapel has two triangular-headed lancet window
s with stone cills and a door similar to that of the cottage. Between the windows is a plaque inscribed "Great Warford Baptist Chapel Founded at Norbury Houses 1642". The east front has one triangular-headed lancet window. On the west front is a blocked doorway and a two-light casement window on the first floor. The roof is original with Kerridge
stone slabs.
is in the middle of the dividing wall facing the gallery. The chapel contains five 19th-century box pew
s to the north and four to the south. In the centre of a pew on the north side is a coke
stove. The chapel can seat 62 people. The registers begin in 1757.
Great Warford
Great Warford is a small village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England....
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building.
History
In 1712 a group of dissentersEnglish Dissenters
English Dissenters were Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.They originally agitated for a wide reaching Protestant Reformation of the Established Church, and triumphed briefly under Oliver Cromwell....
, who had been meeting in local farmhouses, acquired this building. At that time it consisted of a contiguous barn and cottage. The barn was converted into a meeting place for the worshippers. The early trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s were prominent Baptists. In 1813 the building was divided into two, the west part becoming a cottage for the minister and the east end continuing as the chapel.
Exterior
The building was originally timber-framedTimber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
with wattle and daub
Wattle and daub
Wattle and daub is a composite building material used for making walls, in which a woven lattice of wooden strips called wattle is daubed with a sticky material usually made of some combination of wet soil, clay, sand, animal dung and straw...
infill. In the 1813 rebuilding the south, east and west walls were replaced by brick and it is likely that the infill in the north wall was replaced by brick. The north wall is still timber-framed with ten oak uprights and four horizontals at different levels. On its ground floor are three two-light casement window
Casement window
A casement window is a window that is attached to its frame by one or more hinges. Casement windows are hinged at the side. A casement window (or casement) is a window that is attached to its frame by one or more hinges. Casement windows are hinged at the side. A casement window (or casement) is a...
s and on the first floor two two-light casement windows which are placed irregularly. The south front is in six bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
. The two-storey cottage on the left has to the west a splayed-head doorway. To the right on the ground floor are two two-light windows and on the first floor one two-light window and a datestone inscribed "WBC 1813". The chapel has two triangular-headed lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
s with stone cills and a door similar to that of the cottage. Between the windows is a plaque inscribed "Great Warford Baptist Chapel Founded at Norbury Houses 1642". The east front has one triangular-headed lancet window. On the west front is a blocked doorway and a two-light casement window on the first floor. The roof is original with Kerridge
Kerridge
Kerridge is a village in Cheshire, England, part of the parish of Bollington. Kerridge borders the neighbouring parish of Rainow.It gives its name to Kerridge Ridge – one of the western foothills of the Pennines – by which it stands. It is overlooked by the local landmark of White Nancy...
stone slabs.
Interior
The interior of the chapel measures 24 feet (7 m) by 15 feet (5 m). The roof is supported by two central posts. At the east end is a gallery. All the furniture is original. The pulpitPulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
is in the middle of the dividing wall facing the gallery. The chapel contains five 19th-century box pew
Box pew
Box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th century.-History in England:...
s to the north and four to the south. In the centre of a pew on the north side is a coke
Coke (fuel)
Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :...
stove. The chapel can seat 62 people. The registers begin in 1757.