Bethel Strict Baptist Chapel, Robertsbridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bethel Strict Baptist Chapel |
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The former chapel from the west
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 Location in East Sussex
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| 50°59′10″N 0°28′29″E / 50.9861°N 0.4748°E | |
| Location | High Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5AQ |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Baptist |
| Churchmanship | Strict Baptist |
| History | |
| Status | Chapel |
| Founded | 1 November 1842 |
| Founder(s) | James Weller |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Closed |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 13 May 1987 |
| Style | Vernacular |
| Groundbreaking | 1 November 1842 |
| Completed | 17 January 1843 |
| Closed | c. 1999 |
The Bethel Strict Baptist Chapel is a building that used to be a place of worship for a group called Strict Baptists. It is located in Robertsbridge, a village in East Sussex, England. This simple brick chapel was built in 1842. It was started by James Weller, a preacher who was very popular in Kent and East Sussex.
Strict Baptists were a strong religious group in East Sussex. Many people in Robertsbridge chose to worship outside the main Church of England. This was because the village was far from the nearest Anglican church. The chapel closed around 1999 and was later turned into a house. It is now a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical site.
Contents
History of Bethel Chapel
The village of Salehurst is very old, even mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. Robertsbridge, about 1 mile (1.6 km) away, grew later. It became a larger village after a Cistercian abbey moved there in 1210.
Even though Robertsbridge grew, it didn't have its own official church. The main parish church for the area stayed in Salehurst. This meant many people in Robertsbridge looked for other places to worship. In 1676, a survey showed that Salehurst parish had many Nonconformists. These were people who worshipped outside the Church of England.
Strict Baptists in Sussex
Many different Christian groups, called Nonconformists, became popular in Sussex from the 1600s. Some of these groups shared similar beliefs. Calvinistic groups were very common, especially in East Sussex. These groups believed that God had already chosen who would be saved.
Strict Baptists shared these beliefs. They also believed that only people who had been baptized and joined the church could take part in communion. In 1809, Jacob Martell started a Strict Baptist chapel in Burwash. Later, in 1816, the Shover's Green Baptist Chapel was founded by some of his former followers.
James Weller's Influence
James Weller arrived in Burwash in 1838. He was a 31-year-old preacher who had become well-known in Kent during the 1830s. Weller was born in Headcorn and worked as a farmer. He was first baptized into the Church of England.
Around 1828, while very ill, he had a spiritual experience. He then decided to follow Calvinistic Baptist beliefs. He was re-baptized in Maidstone in 1831. For several years, he preached in different chapels, including Shover's Green. His reputation grew, and he attracted large crowds across East Sussex and Kent.
Building the Chapel
James Weller wrote a book about his life called The Wonders of Free Grace. In it, he shared his concerns about the Burwash chapel. In 1842, a friend named James Caffyn offered him a house in Robertsbridge. Weller could turn this house into a place of worship.
The first stone of the new chapel was laid on November 1, 1842. The chapel was "half hidden behind a shop and a cottage." Weller officially left the Burwash chapel in January 1843. The Bethel Strict Baptist Chapel opened on January 17, 1843. Weller noted that many people came to the first service.
It was common in Sussex for chapels to be built for specific preachers. Many early members of the Robertsbridge chapel came from the Burwash congregation.
Later Years and Closure
The Bethel Chapel officially became a church in August 1844. James Weller continued to have health and money problems. He passed away in 1847. Even so, his preaching had a big impact. For example, the wife of the Mayor of Rye was inspired by him. She became a Baptist and founded the Bethel Strict Baptist Chapel in Rye.
George Stedman became the pastor at Robertsbridge in 1848. He served until 1881. After Stedman, the chapel did not have another full-time pastor. The number of people attending decreased in the early 1900s. However, the chapel saw a new burst of activity from 1940. Regular services started again.
The congregation continued to meet until at least 1996. In October 1999, permission was given to change the chapel into a house. The Bethel Chapel was officially listed as a Grade II building on May 13, 1987.
Chapel Design and Features
The Bethel Chapel shows the simple style often used by Strict Baptists. Its "quaint" (charming and old-fashioned) look is different from the more fancy Congregational Church nearby. The chapel was built in 1842. This date is carved into a stone tablet high up on the front wall.
The front of the building is made of red brick. It has two wooden windows with pointed arches. The sides of the chapel are covered with red tiles. The roof has slate tiles. The main entrance is under a small gabled roof.
Inside the chapel, there was a special stone tablet. It remembered James Weller, who died on September 12, 1847. The tablet included a Bible quote: "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." Another stone remembered George Stedman, the second preacher, and Christopher Sharp. James Caffyn, who gave the land for the chapel, also had a memorial. His two daughters, who died as babies, were buried nearby.
See also
Images for kids
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Bethel Chapel's founder James Weller preached across Kent and Sussex. His preaching led to the founding of this Strict Baptist chapel in Rye.
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The chapel stands behind a shop on Robertsbridge High Street.
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High on the front wall is a carved date stone.
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