Angmering Baptist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of Christ |
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The former chapel from the west
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| Location | Station Road, Angmering, West Sussex BN16 4HN, United Kingdom |
| Founded | 1846 |
| Built | 1846 |
| Built for | George R. Paul |
| Restored | 1970 |
| Architectural style(s) | Gothic Revival |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: The Former Baptist Church | |
| Designated | 20 September 1984 |
| Reference no. | 1027686 |
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| Angmering Baptist Church | |
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The church from the northwest
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| 50°49′29″N 0°29′11″W / 50.8248°N 0.4865°W | |
| Location | Station Road, Angmering, West Sussex BN16 4HY |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Baptist |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Converted barn |
| Style | Vernacular |
| Groundbreaking | 1970 |
| Completed | 4 July 1970 |
| Administration | |
| District | West Sussex Network |
| Division | South Eastern Baptist Association |
The Angmering Baptist Church is a place of worship for Baptists in Angmering, a village in West Sussex, England. This article tells the story of two buildings. One is the current church, and the other is its older building, once known as the Church of Christ.
Baptist worship started in Angmering way back in 1846. That's when the first building, the Church of Christ, was built. It had a unique tower. Later, this old church building became too small and didn't have what was needed for modern services. So, the church community bought a nearby barn and turned it into their new church. The old building was then sold and changed into homes. The original Church of Christ building is now a special historic site, called a Grade II listed building.
A Look Back: The History of Angmering Baptist Church
Angmering is a village close to the old town of Arundel. The Dukes of Norfolk, who owned Arundel Castle, also had land in Angmering. Long ago, Angmering had three churches, but only St Margaret's Church is still standing today. A train station opened in the village in 1846.
Many different Christian groups, called Protestant Nonconformists, became popular in Sussex starting in the 1600s. While some groups were more common in East Sussex, many churches were also built in West Sussex. The town of Worthing, near Angmering, had several Nonconformist churches by the mid-1800s.
In 1846, a man named George Robert Paul, who lived in Worthing, started a church in Angmering. He called it the Church of Christ. Even though the name might make you think of another group, it was a Baptist church from the very beginning. Paul owned the church and was in charge of it. The first minister, John Adams, also came from Worthing. The church was officially registered for public worship on January 7, 1847.
George Paul owned the church himself until 1906. Then, a group of 14 people bought it for £325. Sometimes, people also called it Angmering Chapel. For a while, the church didn't have a strong connection with Worthing. But in 1923, ministers from Worthing's Christchurch Road Baptist Church started helping out again. This continued until 1966.
By the 1960s, the old church building was no longer suitable. It was hard to get to, and it didn't have many facilities. In 1967, Sir Herbert Janes, who lived in Angmering and had a building company, helped find a new place. There was an old barn near the chapel that wasn't being used. Sir Herbert Janes helped pay to buy the barn and turn it into a new church. Like the old chapel, this new building could hold about 150 people.
The very first service at the new Angmering Baptist Church was held on July 4, 1970. The church grew, and by 1985, it had 87 members. More parts were added to the new church over the years. A church hall was built in 1984. The church building itself was made bigger in 1994. A new entrance was added in 2005.
The old chapel was sold and changed into two houses. The old graveyard became the garden for one of the houses. The gravestones were moved to the new church's grounds.
The former Church of Christ building was given a special status on September 20, 1984. It was named a Grade II listed building as The Former Baptist Church. This means it's an important historic building that needs to be protected.
The new Angmering Baptist Church was officially allowed to hold worship services on July 21, 1970. On the same day, it was also allowed to hold weddings. The old chapel's license for weddings was then cancelled.
What the Buildings Look Like
The old chapel, the Church of Christ, is a unique building. It was built in the Gothic Revival style. This style tries to look like medieval churches. The building is made of flint stones with red bricks around the corners and windows.
Its most special part is the tall, four-story tower at the west end. This is unusual for a Baptist church. The tower has thin, pointed windows on each floor. It also has a pyramid-shaped roof made of slate. The rest of the church roof is also made of slate.
The main part of the building is one story high. It has two windows with pointed arches. The entrance is in a porch with a pointed roof. A small addition was built on the northwest side in the late 1800s. The chapel sits on high ground above the road, so you have to walk up steps to reach it.
The new Angmering Baptist Church was originally a barn. It was changed into a church in 1970.
See also
