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, England |
| 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 | England |
| 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. Before this church, there was an older building called the Church of Christ. Baptist worship has been happening in Angmering since 1846.
The original Church of Christ was built in 1846. It had a unique Gothic-style design with a tall tower. Over time, this old building became too small and difficult to use for the church's needs. 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 former Church of Christ is now a special historic building, known as a Grade II listed building.
Contents
History of Angmering's Baptist Churches
Early Days of Angmering Village
Angmering is a village located near the old town of Arundel. The area has a long history, with a railway station opening in 1846. In the past, Angmering had three medieval churches, but only St Margaret's Church is still standing today.
How Baptist Worship Began
Many different Christian groups, not part of the main Church of England, became popular in Sussex starting in the 1600s. These groups are called Protestant Nonconformists. In 1846, a man named George Robert Paul from a nearby town founded a new church in Angmering. He named it the Church of Christ. Even though the name might sound different, it was a Baptist church from the very beginning.
George Robert Paul owned this church himself until 1906. Then, a group of 14 trustees bought it. Sometimes, people also called it Angmering Chapel. For a while, ministers from a Baptist church in Worthing helped lead services at the Angmering chapel. This arrangement continued until 1966.
Building the New Church
By the 1960s, the old Church of Christ building was no longer suitable. It was hard to get to, and it didn't have enough facilities for a modern church. In 1967, a local resident named Sir Herbert Janes helped the church find a new location. They found an old, unused barn close to the original chapel.
Sir Herbert Janes also helped pay for the barn to be bought and changed into a church. The new church, called Angmering Baptist Church, could hold about 150 people, just like the old one. The first service in the new building was held on July 4, 1970. Since then, the church has added more parts, including a church hall in 1984, an extension to the main building in 1994, and a new entrance in 2005.
The old chapel was sold and turned into two houses. The old graveyard from the chapel became the garden for one of these houses. The gravestones were carefully moved to the new Angmering Baptist Church.
Special Recognition for the Old Church
The former Church of Christ building was recognized as a Grade II listed building on September 20, 1984. This means it's an important historic building that needs to be protected.
The current Angmering Baptist Church was officially allowed to hold worship services on July 21, 1970. On the same day, it was also allowed to perform marriages. The old chapel's license for these activities was then cancelled.
Architecture of the Old Chapel
The old Church of Christ chapel is a unique building. It was built in the Gothic Revival style, which means it looks like older medieval churches. It's made of flint stone with red bricks around the corners and windows.
The most noticeable part of the building is its tall, four-story tower at the west end. This is very unusual for a Baptist chapel. The tower has one tall, narrow window on each floor and a pyramid-shaped roof made of slate. The rest of the chapel's roof is also made of slate.
The main part of the building is one story high. It has two windows that are shaped with pointed arches. The entrance is through a porch with a pointed roof. An extra part was added to the building in the late 1800s. The chapel sits on high ground, so you have to walk up steps from the road to reach it.
See also
