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KENT FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETYCANTERBURY BRANCH WEBSITE |
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Non-Conformist Places of Worship
Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion, Union Chapel, Watling Street (Later St Andrew's United Reform Church) The Countess of Huntingdon church, an offshoot of the Congregational faith, built their first chapel in 1797. A replacement was built in Watling Street in 1863, at a cost of £2,100, designed by W.F.Poulton. The Congregationalists merged with them in 1942. In June of that year, the church was gutted in the 'Baedeker' raid, and completely destroyed in the daylight raid of the 31st October 1942.
The Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion Church, Watling Street, built 1863 (left); The prefabricated Congregational Church on the same site, 1949 In 1949, a prefabricated church was erected on the site. A permanent replacement was built next door in the mid 1950s. In 1972, the Congregationalists and Presbyterians joined together, and the church renamed St Andrew's United Reform church. However, as part of the current Whitefriars redevelopment, this building was demolished, and a new St Andrew's United Reform church constructed opposite. After four buildings in sixty years, hopefully this one will be around for a while!
United Reform Church, built 1950s (left); and the new St Andrew's United Reform Church built opposite Records at Cathedral Archives
Baptists The Baptists took over the 'Roundhouse' chapel in King Street in 1823. In 1864, St George's Baptist church, seating 650, was opened in St George's Place. In 1914, a church hall was built alongside. The Baptist church is still in use today. Records (see Wesleyan Methodists below)
Unitarian Baptists The Unitarian church was founded pre-1800, and used the former refectory of the Dominican Blackfriars until the 1920s, thereafter used by the Christian Scientist church. Daniel Defoe is said to have preached there during his visit in 1724. Records at Cathedral Archives
Baptists, Zoar Particular Opened 1845 in a modified 'D' bastion in the city wall, Burgate Lane, and still in use today.
Wesleyan Methodists The Methodists first place of worship was the 12-sided 'Roundhouse', or 'Pepper-Box' chapel in King Street, built in 1764, partly from materials from the demolished St Andrew's church, and attended by John Wesley himself on several occasions. Outgrowing this site, a new church, St Peter's Methodist, was built in St Peter's Street in 1811/12, with the table used by Wesley to preach on display.
St Peter's Methodist Church, built 1811/12 Records at Cathedral Archives (Methodist and Baptist)
Wesleyan St John's chapel Primitive, Northgate, built in 1839. Now used by the King's School.
Records held at the Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone
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Site updated 26th January 2012 |
