Providence Strict Baptist Chapel, Burgess Hill
Encyclopedia
Providence Strict Baptist Chapel is a former Strict Baptist
place of worship in the town of Burgess Hill
in Mid Sussex
, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex
. Founded in 1875 by two prominent residents of the town at a time when Protestant
Nonconformism
was well established in Sussex, the chapel continued in religious use for over a century until it was sold for conversion to flats
in 1999. The Neoclassical
building stands in a conservation area
opposite Burgess Hill's main park. English Heritage
has listed the building at Grade II for its architectural and historical importance.
built a railway line
across St John's Common, an area of common land
divided between the parishes of Clayton
and Keymer
. The line and Burgess Hill railway station
opened in 1841, and rapid population growth led to the building of an Anglican church, St John the Evangelist's
, in the early 1860s and the creation of an ecclesiastical parish in 1863.
One of the most important early residents was Frederick Hoadley. In 1857 he founded a department store
on a prominent site near the railway station; it was so successful that other branches were opened elsewhere in Sussex. In 1875, together with fellow resident Eli Ashdown, he formed a trust
to fund the establishment of a Strict Baptist
place of worship in the town. St John's Park, a 6.5 acres (2.6 ha) recreational area in the town centre, was presented to the town in 1871 as a memorial to a local philanthropist. Hoadley and Ashdown bought a site on Park Road, with a southward view across the park, in 1875 and commissioned architect Simeon Norman to design a chapel. There were already other Nonconformist places of worship in the town: a Congregational church of 1829 predated the railway-influenced development, and congregations of both Plymouth Brethren
and General Baptists were founded in 1870. Methodists, Congregationalists and the Salvation Army also had a presence by 1900.
Simeon Norman's chapel continued to serve the Strict Baptist
community throughout the 20th century, but attendances gradually fell. It was therefore sold in 1999, and has been converted into flats called Providence House.
The Providence Strict Baptist Chapel was listed at Grade II by English Heritage
on 27 November 1975; this defines it as a "nationally important" building of "special interest". As of February 2001, it was one of 958 Grade II listed buildings, and 1,028 listed buildings of all grades, in the district of Mid Sussex. It is within the St John's Common Conservation Area designated by Mid Sussex District Council.
or Neoclassical
. The two-storey structure has three equally spaced round-headed windows on the upper floor of the façade, and two square-headed windows flanking the entrance door below. Between these are four Doric
pilaster
s which are topped with a pediment
. Originally faced with cement, it is now stucco
ed.
Strict Baptist
Strict Baptists, also known as Particular Baptists, are Baptists who believe in a Calvinist or Reformed interpretation of Christian soteriology. The Particular Baptists arose in England in the 17th century and took their namesake from the doctrine of particular redemption.-Further reading:*History...
place of worship in the town of Burgess Hill
Burgess Hill
Burgess Hill is a civil parish and a town primarily located in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England, close to the border with East Sussex, on the edge of the South Downs National Park...
in Mid Sussex
Mid Sussex
Mid Sussex is a local government district in the English county of West Sussex. It contains the towns of East Grinstead, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill....
, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
. Founded in 1875 by two prominent residents of the town at a time when Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
Nonconformism
Nonconformism
Nonconformity is the refusal to "conform" to, or follow, the governance and usages of the Church of England by the Protestant Christians of England and Wales.- Origins and use:...
was well established in Sussex, the chapel continued in religious use for over a century until it was sold for conversion to flats
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
in 1999. The Neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
building stands in a conservation area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
opposite Burgess Hill's main park. 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...
has listed the building at Grade II for its architectural and historical importance.
History
Burgess Hill—now a town of about 30,000 people—did not exist until the mid-19th century, when the London and Brighton RailwayLondon and Brighton Railway
The London and Brighton Railway was a railway company in England which was incorporated in 1837 and survived until 1846. Its railway runs from a junction with the London & Croydon Railway at Norwood - which gives it access from London Bridge, just south of the River Thames in central London...
built a railway line
Brighton Main Line
The Brighton Main Line is a British railway line from London Victoria and London Bridge to Brighton. It is about 50 miles long, and is electrified throughout. Trains are operated by Southern, First Capital Connect, and Gatwick Express, now part of Southern.-Original proposals:There were no fewer...
across St John's Common, an area of common land
Common land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
divided between the parishes of Clayton
Clayton, West Sussex
Clayton is a small village at the foot of the South Downs in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England. It lies south of London, north of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Burgess Hill to the north and Lewes, the county town of East...
and Keymer
Keymer
Keymer is a village in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. It lies on the B2116 road south of Burgess Hill.Keymer was an ancient parish that like its near neighbour Clayton was merged into the modern day parish of Hassocks. Both Keymer and Clayton's records go back as far as the...
. The line and Burgess Hill railway station
Burgess Hill railway station
Burgess Hill railway station serves Burgess Hill in West Sussex. Located on the Brighton Main Line and Thameslink 15 km north of Brighton railway station, train services are provided by Southern and First Capital Connect...
opened in 1841, and rapid population growth led to the building of an Anglican church, St John the Evangelist's
St John the Evangelist's Church, Burgess Hill
St John the Evangelist's Church is an Anglican church in the town of Burgess Hill in the district of Mid Sussex, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex. The Gothic Revival church, built of locally made bricks, is Burgess Hill's parish church and was its...
, in the early 1860s and the creation of an ecclesiastical parish in 1863.
One of the most important early residents was Frederick Hoadley. In 1857 he founded a department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
on a prominent site near the railway station; it was so successful that other branches were opened elsewhere in Sussex. In 1875, together with fellow resident Eli Ashdown, he formed a trust
Trust law
In common law legal systems, a trust is a relationship whereby property is held by one party for the benefit of another...
to fund the establishment of a Strict Baptist
Strict Baptists
Strict Baptists, also known as Particular Baptists, are Baptists who believe in a Calvinist or Reformed interpretation of Christian soteriology. The Particular Baptists arose in England in the 17th century and took their namesake from the doctrine of particular redemption.-Further reading:*History...
place of worship in the town. St John's Park, a 6.5 acres (2.6 ha) recreational area in the town centre, was presented to the town in 1871 as a memorial to a local philanthropist. Hoadley and Ashdown bought a site on Park Road, with a southward view across the park, in 1875 and commissioned architect Simeon Norman to design a chapel. There were already other Nonconformist places of worship in the town: a Congregational church of 1829 predated the railway-influenced development, and congregations of both Plymouth Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
and General Baptists were founded in 1870. Methodists, Congregationalists and the Salvation Army also had a presence by 1900.
Simeon Norman's chapel continued to serve the Strict Baptist
Strict Baptists
Strict Baptists, also known as Particular Baptists, are Baptists who believe in a Calvinist or Reformed interpretation of Christian soteriology. The Particular Baptists arose in England in the 17th century and took their namesake from the doctrine of particular redemption.-Further reading:*History...
community throughout the 20th century, but attendances gradually fell. It was therefore sold in 1999, and has been converted into flats called Providence House.
The Providence Strict Baptist Chapel was listed at Grade II 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...
on 27 November 1975; this defines it as a "nationally important" building of "special interest". As of February 2001, it was one of 958 Grade II listed buildings, and 1,028 listed buildings of all grades, in the district of Mid Sussex. It is within the St John's Common Conservation Area designated by Mid Sussex District Council.
Architecture
The chapel was built in a style described as either ClassicalClassical architecture
Classical architecture is a mode of architecture employing vocabulary derived in part from the Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, enriched by classicizing architectural practice in Europe since the Renaissance...
or Neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
. The two-storey structure has three equally spaced round-headed windows on the upper floor of the façade, and two square-headed windows flanking the entrance door below. Between these are four Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s which are topped with a pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
. Originally faced with cement, it is now stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
ed.