Chowbent Chapel facts for kids
Chowbent Chapel is an active Unitarian church in Atherton, Greater Manchester, England. It was built in 1721 and is the oldest place of worship in the town. It is part of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, which is the main group for British Unitarians. The chapel was given a special Grade II* Listed status in 1966. This means it's a very important historical building.
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Why Was Chowbent Chapel Built?
The story of Chowbent Chapel began with events in 1715. The first church in Atherton was called St. John the Baptist at Chowbent. It was built in 1645 on land owned by John Atherton. This first church was not officially blessed by the Church of England. Instead, it was used by a group called Presbyterians. They were a type of Christian group that dissented, or disagreed, with some of the Church of England's rules.
The Jacobite Rising and Its Impact
During a time called the 1715 Jacobite rising, the minister of the old chapel, James Wood, and his church members helped protect a bridge near Preston. They were guarding it against supporters of the "Old Pretender," who wanted to become king. The Chowbenters were successful in their task.
However, their actions upset Richard Atherton, who was going to inherit the land where the chapel stood. Richard Atherton strongly supported the "Old Pretender." Because of this political disagreement, in 1721, Richard Atherton forced the church members to leave his land. This led them to build the new Chowbent Chapel on different land.
What Does Chowbent Chapel Look Like?
The current chapel was built in 1721. The land for it was given by Nathan Mort. It is made of rustic brick with stone details. It has a slate roof and a small cupola (a small dome-like structure) on top that holds a bell. The windows are round-arched. In 1901, a two-story addition was built on the south side.
Inside the Chapel
A famous expert named Nikolaus Pevsner said that Chowbent Chapel has the "best-preserved C18 ecclesiastical interior" in South Lancashire. This means its inside looks much like it did in the 1700s.
Inside, you can see the original box pews. These are like small, enclosed seating areas. There is also a three-tier pulpit on the north wall. Galleries, which are like balconies, are on the east, south, and west sides. You can reach them by staircases. These galleries are held up by six oak columns.
Some items from the original 1645 chapel are still here. These include a strong oak door that separates the chapel from the vestry (a room for the minister). There's also a communion table and two silver communion cups from 1654. These cups are very old and special. Some of the chapel's stained glass windows were made by a company called Shrigley and Hunt.
When the chapel was first built, its wooden roof beams were visible. The walls were white, and the windows had clear glass in a diamond pattern. An organ was added in 1806. Before that, the only music was singing psalms. A new organ was installed in 1901 when the chapel was made bigger.
Chowbent Chapel and the Community
Soon after the chapel opened, a schoolroom was started in the minister's house. This school was made larger in 1860 and again in 1890.
Before 1900, the chapel also opened a library at Chowbent School for everyone in the town. This library had 4000 books! When Atherton's public library opened in 1905, the chapel donated all its books to it.
Notable Ministers
Besides James Wood, other important ministers served at the chapel. One was Harry Toulmin (1766–1823). He later moved to America and became the Secretary of State for Kentucky. Another was Thomas Walker Horsfield (1792–1837), who was a historian and wrote about places.
See also
- List of churches in Greater Manchester
- Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester
- Listed buildings in Atherton, Greater Manchester
