Gadfield Elm Chapel
Encyclopedia
The Gadfield Elm Chapel near the village of Pendock
in Worcestershire
, England
, is the oldest extant chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
The structure was built in 1836 as a religious meetinghouse by the United Brethren
, a group of breakaway Primitive Methodists
led by Thomas Knighton. In 1840, Latter Day Saint missionary
and apostle Wilford Woodruff
preached among the United Brethren; ultimately all but one of the 600 members of the United Brethren were converted to Mormonism
. After the conversions, the structure was deeded to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Knighton and John Benbow.
As a chapel of the early Latter Day Saint movement
, the building was a centre of activity for the church in the Malvern Hills
area. Several regional conferences of the church were held in the chapel, and Brigham Young
, who at the time was President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
, spoke there at least once. The chapel was sold by the church in 1842 to help fund the emigration of British Latter Day Saints to America.
The building was privately owned until it was purchased in 1994 by the Gadfield Elm Trust, a group of LDS Church members interested in preserving the chapel. The Trust renovated and restored the chapel, and it was dedicated by LDS Church apostle Jeffrey R. Holland
on 23 April 2000.
In 2004, the Gadfield Elm Trust donated ownership of the chapel to the LDS Church, and it was rededicated by church president Gordon B. Hinckley
on 26 May 2004. The chapel is operated as a historical tourist site by the LDS Church and admission to the public is free.
Pendock
Pendock is a village and civil parish in the Malvern Hills District in the county of Worcestershire, England, situated about halfway between Tewkesbury and Ledbury.Pendock has two churches, a shop, and a primary school...
in Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is the oldest extant chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
The structure was built in 1836 as a religious meetinghouse by the United Brethren
United Brethren (England)
The United Brethren were a group of former Primitive Methodists in Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire, England that converted en masse to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1840....
, a group of breakaway Primitive Methodists
Primitive Methodism
Primitive Methodism was a major movement in English Methodism from about 1810 until the Methodist Union in 1932. The Primitive Methodist Church still exists in the United States.-Origins:...
led by Thomas Knighton. In 1840, Latter Day Saint missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
and apostle Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff, Sr. was the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1889 until his death...
preached among the United Brethren; ultimately all but one of the 600 members of the United Brethren were converted to Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
. After the conversions, the structure was deeded to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Knighton and John Benbow.
As a chapel of the early Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
, the building was a centre of activity for the church in the Malvern Hills
Malvern Hills
The Malvern Hills are a range of hills in the English counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and a small area of northern Gloucestershire, dominating the surrounding countryside and the towns and villages of the district of Malvern...
area. Several regional conferences of the church were held in the chapel, and Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, who at the time was President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . In general, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve is the most senior Apostle in the church, aside from the President of the Church...
, spoke there at least once. The chapel was sold by the church in 1842 to help fund the emigration of British Latter Day Saints to America.
The building was privately owned until it was purchased in 1994 by the Gadfield Elm Trust, a group of LDS Church members interested in preserving the chapel. The Trust renovated and restored the chapel, and it was dedicated by LDS Church apostle Jeffrey R. Holland
Jeffrey R. Holland
Jeffrey Roy Holland is an American educator and religious leader. He served as the ninth President of Brigham Young University and is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Holland is accepted by...
on 23 April 2000.
In 2004, the Gadfield Elm Trust donated ownership of the chapel to the LDS Church, and it was rededicated by church president Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...
on 26 May 2004. The chapel is operated as a historical tourist site by the LDS Church and admission to the public is free.
External links
- Gadfield Elm Chapel: official website, includes virtual tour
- Gadfield Elm: Mormon Historic Sites Registry
- Gadfield Elm blog: collection of personal stories and media about Gadfield Elm
- Dedicatory Prayer of Gadfield Elm Chapel: delivered by Gordon B. HinckleyGordon B. HinckleyGordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...
on 2004-05-26 - Gadfield Elm: blog about Gadfield Elm by Andrew Mason