Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel facts for kids
The Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel is a special place of worship located in Hampstead, London. It's part of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, which is like a main group for Unitarian churches in Britain. This chapel is also a Grade II Listed building, meaning it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.
The Chapel Building: A Look Inside
The chapel stands on Rosslyn Hill. The very first building there, around 1692, was a simple wooden structure. Over time, it was rebuilt. In 1736, a new building replaced the old one. Then, in 1828, it was rebuilt again with bricks because the older one wasn't safe.
The chapel you see today was built between 1862 and 1885. It uses the old brick chapel as its hall. The design is in the Neo Gothic style, which means it looks like old Gothic churches with pointed arches and tall windows, but it was built more recently.
Inside, you can find beautiful stained-glass windows. Two of these were made by famous artists Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris. Another window was created by Henry Holiday. The chapel also has four special stone carvings called reliefs by John Flaxman. You can also see plaques honoring people who were part of the chapel's community, like Helen Allingham. She was the first woman artist allowed into the Royal Academy.
The chapel's stone arches and pointed ceiling make it sound amazing inside. This is called having excellent acoustics. Because of this, it's a popular place for recording music.
Chapel Leaders: The Ministers
The current minister at Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel is Kate Dean. A minister is like a spiritual leader for the community.
Many important ministers have served the chapel over the years. These include Stephen Lobb and Richard Amner. Rochemont Barbauld, whose wife Anna Laetitia Barbauld was a famous poet, also served here. Other past ministers include Jeremiah Joyce and William Hincks.
One very important minister was Thomas Sadler. He arrived at the chapel in 1846 when he was just 24 years old. He had recently earned his doctorate degree from a university in Germany. He served the chapel for 45 years. It was during his time as minister that the current chapel building was constructed.
People of the Chapel: The Congregation
Many interesting people have been part of the chapel's community, also known as its congregation.
The famous novelist George Eliot sometimes attended the chapel after it was built in 1862. She was a well-known writer of her time.
Politicians also worshipped at the chapel. John Wood was a trustee of the chapel. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Preston from 1826 to 1832. He strongly supported the Great Reform Act 1832. This act made the voting system in Britain fairer.
Another politician was William Lawrence. He was the Lord Mayor of London in 1863 and 1864. He also served as a Liberal MP for the City of London for several years.
