Toxteth Unitarian Chapel
Encyclopedia
Toxteth Unitarian Chapel is in Park Road, Dingle, Liverpool
, England . Since the 1830s it has been known as The Ancient Chapel of Toxteth. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building, and continues to be in use as a Unitarian
chapel. It is a member of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
, the umbrella organisation for British Unitarians.
farmers built a school in Toxteth and appointed Richard Mather
, at the age of 15, as its master. He then went to Brasenose College, Oxford
to continue his education but he was asked to return to Toxteth. By this time the chapel and been built and on 30 November 1618 he preached his first sermon. He subsequently became ordained in the Church of England
. However he was suspended from the ministry in 1633 and again in 1634 because of his nonconfomist
preaching and in 1635 he emigrated to America
. By 1662 the minister of the chapel was a Presbyterian
named Thomas Crompton and he was joined by another dissenter
, Michael Briscoe. In 1672 both ministers obtained licences under the Royal Declaration of Indulgence
and the chapel was enlarged to accommodate dissenters from central Liverpool. However as more chapels were built, Toxteth chapel was neglected and fell into disrepair. In 1774 it was partly rebuilt. Around this time the majority of the congregation were Unitarian
and the others left to form a new congregation. A porch was added in 1841. Unitarian services continue to be held in the chapel every fortnight.
roof. It has two storeys and a western extension with a projecting bay
. The windows are round-headed with stone surrounds. At the west end are paired round-headed entrances with a commemorative plaque and three windows above them. At the south end is a small octagonal cupola
with louvres
and a button finial
. The interior has the pulpit
at the east end, galleries on three sides, and box pew
s throughout. The north and south galleries date from the 17th century and connecting gallery is from the 18th century. Two of the box pews are dated 1650 and 1700. The monuments include a brass dated 1656 and 18th and early 19th century wall tablets. Outside the chapel is a graveyard with a mid-19th-century classical
arcade
. The organ was built in 1906 by Brindley & Foster
.
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England . Since the 1830s it has been known as The Ancient Chapel of Toxteth. 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 I listed building, and continues to be in use as a Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
chapel. It is a member of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches is the umbrella organisation for Unitarian, Free Christian and other liberal religious congregations in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1928, with denominational roots going back to the Great Ejection of 1662...
, the umbrella organisation for British Unitarians.
History
In 1611 a group of PuritanPuritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
farmers built a school in Toxteth and appointed Richard Mather
Richard Mather
Richard Mather , was a Puritan clergyman in colonial Boston, Massachusetts. He was father to Increase Mather and grandfather to Cotton Mather, both celebrated Boston divines.-Biography:...
, at the age of 15, as its master. He then went to Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
to continue his education but he was asked to return to Toxteth. By this time the chapel and been built and on 30 November 1618 he preached his first sermon. He subsequently became ordained in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. However he was suspended from the ministry in 1633 and again in 1634 because of his nonconfomist
Nonconformity
Nonconformity may refer to:* Nonconformity , a memoir by Nelson Algren, published posthumously in 1992* Nonconformity , a term in quality management* A type of unconformity in geology...
preaching and in 1635 he emigrated to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. By 1662 the minister of the chapel was a Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
named Thomas Crompton and he was joined by another dissenter
English 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....
, Michael Briscoe. In 1672 both ministers obtained licences under the Royal Declaration of Indulgence
Royal Declaration of Indulgence
The Royal Declaration of Indulgence was Charles II of England's attempt to extend religious liberty to Protestant nonconformists and Roman Catholics in his realms, by suspending the execution of the penal laws that punished recusants from the Church of England...
and the chapel was enlarged to accommodate dissenters from central Liverpool. However as more chapels were built, Toxteth chapel was neglected and fell into disrepair. In 1774 it was partly rebuilt. Around this time the majority of the congregation were Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
and the others left to form a new congregation. A porch was added in 1841. Unitarian services continue to be held in the chapel every fortnight.
Description
The chapel is built in stone with a slateSlate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof. It has two storeys and a western extension with a projecting bay
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 windows are round-headed with stone surrounds. At the west end are paired round-headed entrances with a commemorative plaque and three windows above them. At the south end is a small octagonal cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
with louvres
Louver
A louver or louvre , from the French l'ouvert; "the open one") is a window, blind or shutter with horizontal slats that are angled to admit light and air, but to keep out rain, direct sunshine, and noise...
and a button finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
. The interior has the pulpit
Pulpit
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...
at the east end, galleries on three sides, and 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 throughout. The north and south galleries date from the 17th century and connecting gallery is from the 18th century. Two of the box pews are dated 1650 and 1700. The monuments include a brass dated 1656 and 18th and early 19th century wall tablets. Outside the chapel is a graveyard with a mid-19th-century classical
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...
arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
. The organ was built in 1906 by Brindley & Foster
Brindley & Foster
Brindley & Foster was a pipe organ builder based in Sheffield who flourished between 1854 and 1939.-Background:The business was established by Charles Brindley in 1854. He was joined by Albert Healey Foster in 1871 and the company acquired the name Brindley & Foster.Charles Brindley was born in...
.