Ditchling Unitarian Chapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ditchling Unitarian Chapel |
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The chapel from the east
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 Location in East Sussex
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| 50°55′18″N 0°06′47″W / 50.9216°N 0.1131°W | |
| Location | The Old Meeting House, The Twitten, Ditchling, East Sussex BN6 8UJ |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Unitarian |
| Previous denomination | General Baptist |
| Website | ditchlingunitarians.org.uk |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | Ditchling General Baptist Chapel |
| Status | Chapel |
| Founded | 17th century (congregation); 1730 (present chapel) |
| Founder(s) | Robert Chatfeild [sic] |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 27 September 1979 |
| Style | Vernacular |
| Groundbreaking | c. 1734 |
| Completed | c. 1734 |
The Ditchling Unitarian Chapel is a historic church in the village of Ditchling, East Sussex, England. It was once known as the Ditchling General Baptist Chapel or The Old Meeting House.
A group of General Baptists started meeting in Ditchling in the 1600s. Ditchling was an important place for Protestant groups who worshipped outside the main Church of England. By 1740, when the current simple chapel was built, many people in the village were Baptists.
Over time, this chapel, like others in Sussex, began to follow Unitarian ideas. This change caused some members to leave and start a new church nearby in Wivelsfield. By 1800, the Ditchling chapel was fully Unitarian. It has continued to be a Unitarian chapel ever since.
Many famous people have been connected to the chapel. These include the author William Hale White, conductor Adrian Boult, and writer G. K. Chesterton. The chapel is located off Ditchling's main street. It has an old house (built in 1672) and a graveyard next to it. These buildings help make Ditchling village centre a special historic area. The chapel is officially protected as a Grade II listed building because of its important history and architecture.
Contents
A Look Back: The Chapel's Story
In England, people who worshipped outside the official Church of England were called Dissenters or Nonconformists. This became more common after 1662, when many Church of England ministers left because they disagreed with new rules.
Many new Christian groups formed. They focused on a person's direct connection with God, rather than on church ceremonies. This happened all over Sussex. By the late 1600s, many new religious groups existed alongside the older churches.
Ditchling: A Centre for Different Beliefs
Ditchling was a key place for these Protestant Dissenters. In 1676, 64 people in the village said they were Nonconformists. By 1724, 25 out of 80 families identified as Anabaptists, a term often used for Baptist groups.
One such group was the General Baptists. They believed that God's forgiveness was available to everyone. This was different from some other groups who believed only certain people were chosen by God. This movement was popular in Sussex.
A group of General Baptists met in Ditchling in the late 1600s. They didn't have a special church building at first. They might have met in a cottage built in 1672 on a narrow lane called a twitten. In 1716, they registered another house in the village as a place to worship.
Building the Chapel
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The current chapel was started by Robert Chatfeild from nearby Streat. He was born in Ditchling in 1675. In 1730, he bought the land next to the 1672 cottage. Some say he built the chapel in 1740. However, his will from 1734 shows it was already built by then.
Robert Chatfeild's son, Robert junior, took full ownership of the land in 1740. He then gave it to the chapel's trustees. These trustees managed the chapel's property.
A Shift in Beliefs: Becoming Unitarian
The first written record of the chapel is from 1737. In its early years, the Ditchling chapel was linked to another Baptist chapel in Lewes. Many General Baptist churches in Sussex, including Ditchling, started to move towards Unitarian beliefs in the 1700s. By 1762, the Ditchling chapel was fully Unitarian.
Not all members liked this change. Some preferred the older Baptist beliefs. In 1762, a member named Henry Booker left the Ditchling chapel. He and others started a new Strict Baptist chapel in nearby Wivelsfield. This chapel, called Bethel Chapel, is still used today.
The Graveyard and Schools
The Ditchling chapel was built in a field called Gunsfield. In 1821, most of this land became a graveyard. It replaced an older burial ground that was full by 1760. The oldest gravestones in the main graveyard are from 1730 and 1731.
In 1815–16, some of the Gunsfield land was used to build two free schools. Robert Chatfeild junior's sons, John and Robert, built them. The chapel members and others helped pay for these schools. The boys' school opened in 1815, and the girls' school in 1816.
These schools were successful at first. But by the 1830s, they faced money problems. Both schools closed around 1836. A new school not linked to the chapel opened in the village instead. The old cottage from 1672 was made bigger in 1808. The new part was built with brick and tiles. It was home to the chapel's Elder, who later became the schoolmaster.
Modern Times
The chapel has been Unitarian since the 1700s. Sometimes it has been called a Unitarian and Free Christian chapel. This means members don't have to follow a strict set of beliefs. They believe the Bible and their own understanding are their guides.
Services are held on Sunday mornings. The chapel has been allowed to hold marriages since 1837. Famous people like conductor Sir Adrian Boult were married here in 1933. Other writers like William Hale White and G. K. Chesterton also had connections to the chapel.
Why the Chapel is Special
The Ditchling Unitarian Chapel and the house next to it are listed as Grade II by English Heritage. This means they are "nationally important" buildings with "special interest." As of 2001, it was one of many listed buildings in the Lewes district.
The local council says Ditchling village centre is special because of its long history of Nonconformism. The Unitarian chapel, a Quaker meeting house, and the Emmanuel Evangelical Fellowship Chapel are all part of this history. The chapel's graveyard is also seen as a beautiful and important open space in the village.
How the Chapel Looks
The chapel and cottage are set back from East End Lane on slightly higher ground. Most Nonconformist chapels in Sussex were built with brick walls and tile roofs. The Ditchling chapel is also made of brick, with some plaster on the west and south walls. It has a hipped roof, which slopes on all sides.
The main entrance used to be on the north side, but it was bricked up in 1819. A new entrance was made on the east side in the 1800s. It has a porch built in 1877. The chapel has windows with rounded tops.
Inside, the chapel is about 22.5 feet by 33.75 feet. Its current look is from changes made in 1877. There is a wooden gallery (a raised seating area) across the east end. The chapel has a Communion table from the 1600s and wooden pews. There is also an old clock from the 1700s that used to be in another chapel.
Outside and inside the chapel, there are memorial stones for people who have passed away. The cottage next to the chapel was built in 1672. It is two stories high and made of brick with tiles. The part added in 1808 is similar.
See also
- List of places of worship in Lewes (district)
