Rye Particular Baptist Chapel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rye Particular Baptist Chapel
The former chapel from the southeast in 2023
50°56′59″N 0°43′52″E / 50.9498°N 0.7312°E / 50.9498; 0.7312
Location	Mermaid Street, Rye, Rother, East Sussex TN31 7EU
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Baptist
History
Status	Former chapel
Founded	1753
Architecture
Functional status	Residential conversion
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	12 October 1951
Style	Vernacular/Georgian
Completed	1754
Closed	1910

The Rye Particular Baptist Chapel is an old church building in Rye. Rye is a very old town built on a hill in East Sussex, England. This building used to be a place where a group called Strict Baptists worshipped. It was built a long time ago, in the 1700s, where an even older Quaker meeting house once stood. The chapel was used by Baptists for many years. Later, a new Baptist church was built nearby. Today, the old chapel is a Grade II listed building. This means it is a special building that is protected because of its history and architecture.

The Chapel's Story

The town of Rye is very old. It was once one of the Cinque Ports, which were important coastal towns in England. Over hundreds of years, many different Christian groups have lived and worshipped in Rye.

From Quakers to Baptists

The first Christian group to have a special building in Rye after the English Reformation were the Quakers. They built a meeting house on Mermaid Street around 1700 or 1704. They used this building for about 50 years. But by 1753, the building was falling apart and could not be fixed.

So, the Quakers sold the land to a group of Strict Baptists. These Baptists had just formed their own community in Rye. They tore down the old Quaker building. In its place, they built a brand new chapel. This new chapel was finished and ready to use in 1754. The Baptists also bought a house next to the chapel. They used this house as a schoolroom for their children.

How Many People Worshipped There?

In 1851, a survey was done to count how many people attended churches in Sussex. It showed that the Baptist chapel in Rye had 280 seats. About 150 of these seats were free for anyone to use. The survey also recorded how many people came to services. In the morning, about 80 people attended. In the afternoon, there were 60 people, and in the evening, 140 people came. Fifty children also attended Sunday school in the morning and afternoon.

Other Churches in Rye

By the 1900s, Rye had many other places of worship.

• An Anglican church was built in 1849.
• A Roman Catholic church was built in 1900.
• Another Strict Baptist chapel opened in 1835.
• Methodists built their chapel in 1814 and made it bigger in 1852.
• A Congregational church was founded in 1882.
• The main church, St Mary's, had been there since Norman times.

Some members of the Rye Particular Baptist Chapel decided to start their own independent Baptist church in 1813. They first met in a house. Then, they built their own chapel in 1817.

The Chapel Closes

In 1909, a new church was built on Cinque Ports Street. This new church replaced another Baptist chapel from 1844. But the people from the Rye Particular Baptist Chapel also moved to this new building.

Because of this, the old 1754 chapel building was closed in 1910. It was then sold. For a while, it became a club for men. Later, it was changed into a house. This house was given the name Quaker's House.

On October 12, 1951, the former Rye Particular Baptist Chapel, now called Quaker's House, was named a Grade II listed building.

What the Chapel Looks Like

The chapel is a two-story building made of red bricks. It is built in a simple, traditional style called Vernacular style.

Outside Features

The roof has two windows that stick out from it. These are called dormer windows. They are in the attic space above the second floor. The back of the roof has tiles, and the front has slates.

The front of the building is about 29.5 feet (9 meters) wide. It has a wide doorway with a straight roof over it. This roof is held up by fancy supports called brackets. Two staircases with metal railings lead up to the door from the street.

A thin line of red bricks separates the first and second floors. This is called a string course. The ground floor has two windows. The first floor has three windows. All these windows are slightly arched and can slide up and down.

There are two similar windows on the back wall. The pulpit, where the preacher stood, used to be between these windows. There is also a small extension at the back with a pointed roof. This might have been a vestry, a room where clergy prepare for services.

Inside the Building

The inside of the chapel has been changed. It is now one large, open space that goes up very high. However, the attic space has been kept separate.

See also

• List of places of worship in Rother