West Street Baptist Church, East Grinstead
Encyclopedia
West Street Baptist Church (formerly Zion Chapel) is a Baptist
church in East Grinstead
, a town in the district of Mid Sussex
, one of seven local government districts in the English
county of West Sussex
. Founded in 1810 as a chapel linked to the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion
, it was the first Nonconformist
place of worship in East Grinstead; the town's subsequent development made it a local centre of both Protestant
Nonconformity and alternative religions. The red-brick building is still used by a Baptist community, and has been listed at Grade II by English Heritage
for its architectural and historical importance.
in 1247 when it was granted a charter, but a market existed before this. Standing on an isolated hilltop site in the Weald
, away from the main timber-producing and ironworking areas which drove the local economy in the medieval period, it grew slowly over the next few centuries.
The north of Sussex developed a strong tradition of Nonconformism
and Protestant dissent
in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. In 1676, 27% of the population of Ifield, a few miles west of East Grinstead, worshipped outside the communion
of the Established
Church of England
; one of the world's first Quaker meeting houses was founded there in that year. Baptist
worship was prevalent in nearby Horsham
, and members of the town's congregation travelled to Turners Hill
, West Hoathly
and other villages around East Grinstead to minister. In 1676, 28 Nonconformists (representing 3.5% of the adult population) were recorded in East Grinstead, although no Baptist meetings were documented.
The completion in 1770 of the London–Brighton turnpike
stimulated rapid growth in parts of Sussex in the late 18th century. Although East Grinstead was not on the road, its population grew steadily and it became increasingly important economically. By 1801, more than 2,600 people lived in the town. Nonconformist religious views continued to prosper locally, and in 1810 the town's first non-Anglican church was established. Zion Chapel was linked to the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion
, a small evangelical
Calvinist
denomination started in 1783 by Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon
. John Burt, a rich merchant from nearby Forest Row
, founded the church: he provided the money to build it, and on 2 July 1810 his sons laid the foundation stone. Construction work continued until the following year, and the church was officially opened on 23 April 1811. Prominent preacher Rowland Hill
spoke at the inaugural service.
In May 1811, a Sunday school
was started at the church. It was the first in the area and catered for more than 100 children. By the following year, four times this number attended, and the church itself was also expanding: galleries were added inside to accommodate 200 more worshippers. In 1813, a manse
was built next to the church, and further structural alterations were made in 1862 (when a classroom and vestry were built on to the church) and 1880, when the building was reordered and repaired. A tiny burial ground stood in front of the church in its early years; the last burial was in 1846.
Members of Zion Chapel established a daughter church in nearby Turners Hill
in 1824. It was rebuilt in 1906 but was still part of the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion; since then it has become an independent
Free Church. In April 1847, a schism occurred in Zion Chapel's congregation: some members left and founded a new Congregational church. After worshipping in hired rooms around East Grinstead, they built Rocks Chapel as their permanent place of worship; the building held its first service on Good Friday
1850. The building was later used by Methodists
, but it was demolished after they opened a permanent church of their own. Rocks Chapel stood on Old Road in East Grinstead.
The Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion sold Zion Chapel in 1980. The following year, members of the town's Providence Strict Baptist Chapel moved in; their former place of worship on London Road was later demolished. Under its present name of West Street Baptist Church, the building houses an evangelical Baptist congregation. It is one of a wide range of religious buildings in East Grinstead, which has a reputation for unusual diversity in respect of both Protestant Nonconformity and alternative religions. As well as Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormon, Baptist and United Reformed churches (and former Quaker, Christian Scientist and Salvation Army buildings), there are several Charismatic evangelical
groups in the town; Rosicrucianism and Opus Dei
have a presence; and the Church of Scientology
's United Kingdom headquarters is at Saint Hill Manor
.
Zion Chapel was listed at Grade II by English Heritage
on 28 January 1948; 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.
. The brickwork is considered to be of high quality, and the building has been described as "restrained and dignified". The façade has recessed semicircular arched windows and is topped with a pediment
of brick, above which is a slate
roof. The later extensions to the side and in front changed the character of the building, and the original railings in front do not survive in their original condition.
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
church in East Grinstead
East Grinstead
East Grinstead is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. It lies south of London, north northeast of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester...
, a town in the district of 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
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...
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 1810 as a chapel linked to the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion
Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion
The Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion is a small society of evangelical churches, founded in 1783 by Selina, Countess of Huntingdon as a result of the Evangelical Revival. For years it was strongly associated with the Calvinist Methodist movement of George Whitefield...
, it was the first Nonconformist
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:...
place of worship in East Grinstead; the town's subsequent development made it a local centre of both 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...
Nonconformity and alternative religions. The red-brick building is still used by a Baptist community, and has been 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...
for its architectural and historical importance.
History
East Grinstead was founded during or before the 13th century: little is known of its early history. It officially became a market townMarket town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
in 1247 when it was granted a charter, but a market existed before this. Standing on an isolated hilltop site in the Weald
Weald
The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
, away from the main timber-producing and ironworking areas which drove the local economy in the medieval period, it grew slowly over the next few centuries.
The north of Sussex developed a strong tradition of 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:...
and Protestant dissent
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....
in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. In 1676, 27% of the population of Ifield, a few miles west of East Grinstead, worshipped outside the communion
Communion (Christian)
The term communion is derived from Latin communio . The corresponding term in Greek is κοινωνία, which is often translated as "fellowship". In Christianity, the basic meaning of the term communion is an especially close relationship of Christians, as individuals or as a Church, with God and with...
of the Established
State religion
A state religion is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state...
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...
; one of the world's first Quaker meeting houses was founded there in that year. Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
worship was prevalent in nearby Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
, and members of the town's congregation travelled to Turners Hill
Turners Hill
Turners Hill is a village and civil parish in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. The civil parish covers an area of , and has a population of 1,849 ....
, West Hoathly
West Hoathly
West Hoathly is a village and civil parish in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England, located south west of East Grinstead. In the 2001 census 2,121 people, of whom 1,150 were economically active, lived in 813 households. The parish, which has a land area of , includes the hamlets of...
and other villages around East Grinstead to minister. In 1676, 28 Nonconformists (representing 3.5% of the adult population) were recorded in East Grinstead, although no Baptist meetings were documented.
The completion in 1770 of the London–Brighton turnpike
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
stimulated rapid growth in parts of Sussex in the late 18th century. Although East Grinstead was not on the road, its population grew steadily and it became increasingly important economically. By 1801, more than 2,600 people lived in the town. Nonconformist religious views continued to prosper locally, and in 1810 the town's first non-Anglican church was established. Zion Chapel was linked to the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion
Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion
The Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion is a small society of evangelical churches, founded in 1783 by Selina, Countess of Huntingdon as a result of the Evangelical Revival. For years it was strongly associated with the Calvinist Methodist movement of George Whitefield...
, a small evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Calvinist
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
denomination started in 1783 by Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon
Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon
Selina, Countess of Huntingdon was an English religious leader who played a prominent part in the religious revival of the 18th century and the Methodist movement in England and Wales, and has left a Christian denomination in England and Sierra Leone.-Early life:Selina Hastings was born as Lady...
. John Burt, a rich merchant from nearby Forest Row
Forest Row
Forest Row is a village and relatively large civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located three miles south-east of East Grinstead.-History:...
, founded the church: he provided the money to build it, and on 2 July 1810 his sons laid the foundation stone. Construction work continued until the following year, and the church was officially opened on 23 April 1811. Prominent preacher Rowland Hill
Rowland Hill (preacher)
Rowland Hill A.M. , was a popular English preacher, enthusiastic evangelical and an influential advocate of small-pox vaccination. He was founder and resident pastor of a wholly independent chapel, the Surrey Chapel, London; chairman of the Religious Tract Society; and a keen supporter of the...
spoke at the inaugural service.
In May 1811, a Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
was started at the church. It was the first in the area and catered for more than 100 children. By the following year, four times this number attended, and the church itself was also expanding: galleries were added inside to accommodate 200 more worshippers. In 1813, a manse
Manse
A manse is a house inhabited by, or formerly inhabited by, a minister, usually used in the context of a Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist or United Church...
was built next to the church, and further structural alterations were made in 1862 (when a classroom and vestry were built on to the church) and 1880, when the building was reordered and repaired. A tiny burial ground stood in front of the church in its early years; the last burial was in 1846.
Members of Zion Chapel established a daughter church in nearby Turners Hill
Turners Hill
Turners Hill is a village and civil parish in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. The civil parish covers an area of , and has a population of 1,849 ....
in 1824. It was rebuilt in 1906 but was still part of the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion; since then it has become an independent
Independent (religion)
In English church history, Independents advocated local congregational control of religious and church matters, without any wider geographical hierarchy, either ecclesiastical or political...
Free Church. In April 1847, a schism occurred in Zion Chapel's congregation: some members left and founded a new Congregational church. After worshipping in hired rooms around East Grinstead, they built Rocks Chapel as their permanent place of worship; the building held its first service on Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
1850. The building was later used by Methodists
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
, but it was demolished after they opened a permanent church of their own. Rocks Chapel stood on Old Road in East Grinstead.
The Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion sold Zion Chapel in 1980. The following year, members of the town's Providence Strict Baptist Chapel moved in; their former place of worship on London Road was later demolished. Under its present name of West Street Baptist Church, the building houses an evangelical Baptist congregation. It is one of a wide range of religious buildings in East Grinstead, which has a reputation for unusual diversity in respect of both Protestant Nonconformity and alternative religions. As well as Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormon, Baptist and United Reformed churches (and former Quaker, Christian Scientist and Salvation Army buildings), there are several Charismatic evangelical
Charismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
groups in the town; Rosicrucianism and Opus Dei
Opus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
have a presence; and the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
's United Kingdom headquarters is at Saint Hill Manor
Saint Hill Manor
Saint Hill Manor is a country house at Saint Hill Green, Mid Sussex, near East Grinstead, West Sussex, England that serves as the location of the head office for the Church of Scientology in the United Kingdom.-Early history:...
.
Zion 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 28 January 1948; 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.
Architecture
The chapel is a small, red-brick building in the Classical styleClassical 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...
. The brickwork is considered to be of high quality, and the building has been described as "restrained and dignified". The façade has recessed semicircular arched windows and is 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...
of brick, above which is a slate
Slate
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. The later extensions to the side and in front changed the character of the building, and the original railings in front do not survive in their original condition.