Galeed Strict Baptist Chapel, Brighton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Galeed Strict Baptist Chapel
Galeed Chapel
The chapel from the west-southwest in 2013
50°49′39″N 0°08′27″W / 50.8274°N 0.1409°W / 50.8274; -0.1409
Location	80 Gloucester Road, North Laine, Brighton BN1 4AQ
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Baptist
Churchmanship	Strict Baptists
History
Status	Church
Founded	15 October 1868 (1868-10-15)
Events	1867: Secession of Strict Baptists from The Tabernacle, West Street 5 January 1868: Seceders established new church at Windsor Street 15 October 1868: New chapel opened on Gloucester Road 16 September 1869: Church formally constituted 7 October 1870: Chapel registered for marriages
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Benjamin H. Nunn
Architectural type	Chapel
Style	Neoclassical
Years built	1868
Completed	1868

Galeed Strict Baptist Chapel, also known as Galeed Chapel, is a special place of worship in Brighton, England. It is located in the North Laine area of the city. This chapel was built in 1868 and has a simple, classic style.

The chapel was built for a new group of people who had left another church in Brighton in 1867. They had different ideas about how their church should be run. Since it opened, the chapel has not changed much. It is still used today by a group called Gospel Standard Strict Baptists. It is the only church of its kind left in Brighton. The building is part of a special protected area and is considered an important local landmark. Many important people in the Strict Baptist movement have been connected to Galeed Chapel.

What Does "Galeed" Mean?

The name Galeed comes from the Bible. It is a Hebrew word that means "heap of witness." In the Book of Genesis, it refers to a pile of stones. This pile of stones was built to remember a peace agreement between two relatives, Jacob and Laban. Henry White, who was the first pastor of the chapel, chose this name.

How Galeed Chapel Started

In the 17th to 19th centuries, many different Christian groups, called Protestant Nonconformists, were active in East Sussex. Some of these groups were Strict Baptists. They had strong beliefs based on older Christian ideas.

In Brighton, several Strict Baptist churches started. Many of them could be traced back to two older churches: Salem Chapel (1766) and Providence Chapel (1805).

Leaving The Tabernacle

A church called The Tabernacle opened in 1834. Its members had left Salem Chapel. In 1847, a man named John Grace became the pastor there. John Grace believed in "open communion." This meant he thought all Christians could take part in communion, no matter how they were baptized. However, Strict Baptists believed in "closed communion." For them, baptism was a very important step, and only church members who had been baptized in a specific way could take communion.

John Grace died in 1865. After his death, two other pastors led The Tabernacle. One of them, William Harbour, also believed in "open communion." The other, Henry White, was a Strict Baptist. In 1867, most church members voted for William Harbour to be the main pastor.

Because of this, the members who were Strict Baptists decided to leave. They wanted to form a new church with Henry White as their leader. At first, they met in houses. Then, they found a room on Windsor Street. Henry White led the first service there on January 5, 1868. The group grew quickly, and they soon decided to build their own chapel.

History of Galeed Chapel

The new church members bought land on Gloucester Road, near Windsor Street. Benjamin H. Nunn, who was John Grace's son-in-law, designed the chapel. John Marshall, one of the church's first members, built it. The chapel was finished in late 1868. The money for building it came from a loan, which they paid off 14 years later.

Opening and Early Years

Galeed Chapel officially opened on October 15, 1868. Three special services were held that day, with different guest preachers. Henry White became the pastor on January 4, 1869. Sadly, he died that August at only 36 years old.

Even without a pastor for a while, the church grew fast. It officially became a Strict Baptist church on September 16, 1869, with ten members. These included John Marshall, who built the chapel, and Sarah Volk, whose son Magnus Volk became a famous inventor. More people joined, and by October 20, 1869, seven deacons (church leaders) were chosen.

On October 7, 1870, Galeed Chapel was officially registered for worship and for marriages. Five years later, the church updated its beliefs to match those of other Gospel Standard churches.

Long-Serving Pastors

In 1876, James Dennett became pastor but left soon after due to health reasons. The church then had different guest preachers until James Popham joined. James Popham became the pastor in September 1882. He led the church for 55 years until he died in 1937!

James Popham was a very important person for Strict Baptists across the country. For 31 years, he edited the Gospel Standard magazine, which many Strict Baptist churches are connected to. He also edited another Christian magazine. During World War I, he helped send a special hymnbook to Strict Baptist soldiers. He also published many of his sermons.

In 1932, James Popham's 50th year as a pastor was celebrated in Brighton. So many people wanted to attend that the service had to be moved to a much larger church building! About 1,500 people came, showing how much he was respected.

After James Popham died, the church did not have a pastor for a long time. In 1957, Frank L. Gosden became the new pastor. He had been a member of Galeed Chapel before. He served until he died in 1980. The next pastor, John Walder, started in 1983 and served until his death in 2016. The current pastor, Matthew Hyde, began leading the church in 2018.

Church Activities Today

Galeed Chapel has regular services on Sundays, both in the morning and evening. They also have a preaching service on Wednesday evenings and a prayer meeting on Friday evenings. They use a hymnbook from the 19th century called A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship.

Libraries and Care Home

In the mid-1900s, two important libraries for Christian books were started with links to Galeed Chapel. Geoffrey Williams, a member since 1903, started collecting books. His collection became the Evangelical Library.

Later, in 1949, Sydney Paul, a deacon at Galeed for 40 years, started the Gospel Standard Baptist Library. This library focused specifically on Strict Baptist books. It moved to a special building in Hove in 1980. Sydney Paul also wrote a very important history of the Strict Baptist movement.

The Gospel Standard Baptist Library is located near the Bethesda Care Home. This care home opened in 1972 for older people who attend Gospel Standard Strict Baptist churches. Services from Galeed Chapel are broadcast to the care home, and residents can also travel to the chapel by minibus.

Location and Special Status

Galeed Chapel is in the North Laine area of Brighton. This central area is known for its unique shops, workshops, and houses. It is a lively and important part of the city. Gloucester Road, where the chapel stands, became a busy street with shops in the mid-1800s.

Much of the North Laine area is a conservation area, which means it is protected because of its historical importance. Galeed Chapel is inside this protected area. In 2015, the chapel became a locally listed building. This means the city council recognizes it as a good example of a simple, classic chapel. It is also special because it is the only Strict Baptist chapel still standing in Brighton.

Chapel Design

Galeed Chapel is built in a Neoclassical style. This means it looks like ancient Greek or Roman buildings. The outside is covered in a smooth plaster called stucco. The front of the chapel has three sections and two levels.

On the ground floor, there are three doorways. The first floor has three windows with slightly raised columns, called pilasters, between them. These pilasters support a triangular shape at the top, called a pediment. Below the pediment, you can see the words "GALEED A.D. 1868." There is also a small round window in the pediment.

The outside of the chapel is described as "plain" and "simple." The inside of the chapel has mostly stayed the same since the 1800s. Some small changes were made over the years, like adding a new room in 1875 and updating the entrance in 1974. More recently, in the 21st century, it was redecorated, and new toilets were added.

See also

• List of Strict Baptist churches