Albion Chapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Albion Chapel |
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Albion Chapel, from Metropolitan improvements; or London in the Nineteenth Century by James Elmes (1827)
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| 51°31′03″N 0°05′18″W / 51.51750°N 0.08833°W | |
| Location | City of London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Scottish Presbyterian |
| History | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Founded | 1815 |
| Founder(s) | Reverend Alexander Fletcher |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | William Jay |
| Groundbreaking | 7 November 1815 |
| Demolished | 1879 |
Albion Chapel was a Scottish Presbyterian chapel located in the City of London. It was near Finsbury Circus, at the corner of London Wall and Finsbury Pavement. The chapel was started by Reverend Alexander Fletcher in 1815. It was built on the land where the old Bethlem Royal Hospital once stood. The chapel was designed by a famous architect named William Jay. Sadly, it was taken down in 1879.
Building the Chapel
The very first stone for Albion Chapel was laid on November 7, 1815. This special event was led by Reverend Alexander Fletcher. He was a minister from a Church of Scotland group near Oxford Street.
Inside the first stone, they placed several items. These included a bible, some coins, and copies of The Westminster Confession of Faith and The Assembly's Shorter Catechism. These documents are important to the Scottish Presbyterian faith.
The land where the chapel was built used to be the west side of Bethlem Royal Hospital. Albion Chapel was the first big project for the architect William Jay. He later became a very important architect in the United States.
A Change in Leadership
Reverend Alexander Fletcher was the minister at Albion Chapel until 1824. At that time, a personal issue arose that led the Scottish Presbyterian Church to suspend him from his duties.
The next Sunday, many of his supporters gathered outside the chapel. They expected a church service. Even though the Church had told him not to preach, Fletcher spoke from the pulpit. He told everyone that he would continue to preach, even with the orders from Scotland.
By the end of December that year, Reverend Fletcher had left Albion Chapel. In July of the next year, he started building a new chapel at Finsbury Circle.
The Chapel's End
After Reverend Fletcher left, Albion Chapel continued to serve its community. The building was repaired and updated, reopening on February 7, 1847. However, the chapel did not last forever. It was taken down in 1879. The land was then used to build new offices called Tower Chambers.
