Borough Welsh Congregational Chapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Borough Welsh Congregational Chapel |
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| Location | 90 Southwark Bridge Road London SE1 0EX |
| Country | England |
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| Years built | 1870 |
The Borough Welsh Congregational Chapel is a special church for Welsh people in London, England. Its Welsh name is Capel-y-Boro. You can find it at 90 Southwark Bridge Road in an area called Southwark, also known as "The Borough".
This church community started a long time ago, in 1774. A Welsh church has been on this spot since 1806. However, the building you see today was built in 1870.
Contents
How the Chapel Started
The story of this church community began in 1774. A preacher named Edward Jones started holding church services in the Welsh language. These first services took place in Cock Lane, Smithfield.
Edward Jones was a lay preacher, meaning he wasn't a full-time minister. He also worked as a publican, running a pub. Because of this, some people called him "Ginshop Jones".
The Welsh services continued in Cock Lane until 1785. Then, Edward Jones opened a Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel. This new chapel was in Wilderness Row, which is now Clerkenwell Road.
A New Beginning in Southwark
Soon after, another Welsh service began in Gravel Lane, Southwark. This was like a branch of the Wilderness Row church. But then, the two groups decided to go their separate ways.
The Gravel Lane group became fully Congregational. The Wilderness Row group remained Methodist. This split was the start of the Welsh Chapel in Southwark.
In 1806, a new chapel was built in Little Guildford Street, Southwark. This chapel was quite large, holding about 500 people. It cost £1200 to build at that time.
The Current Building
Around 1870, the church bought the land where the chapel stood. A brand new chapel was then built on the same spot. The first stone for the new building was laid on July 31, 1872.
A famous Congregationalist named Samuel Morley (MP) helped with this. He gave £500 towards the new chapel. The new building officially opened on Sunday, February 23, 1872.
The Chapel today stands in the same place as the old one. But its entrance now faces Southwark Bridge Road instead of Little Guildford Street. On August 8, 1881, David Simon Davies became the first official Minister of the Chapel.
Repairing Storm Damage
On January 25, 1990, a big storm hit London. It was known as the Burns' Day storm. During this storm, part of the Chapel's roof and two chimneys fell. This caused a lot of damage inside the building.
It took six months to fix the damaged parts, including the gallery. While repairs were happening, church services were held in the vestry. The Chapel was fully reopened on November 22, 1990.
What Happens at the Chapel Today
The Chapel holds services most Sundays. These services are usually on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Sundays of each month. They start at 11 AM and are held in both Welsh and English.
Often, a friendly lunch follows the service. The people who attend the Chapel care a lot about their local community and the wider world. They often raise money to help different charities.
