Surrey Chapel, Southwark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Surrey Chapel |
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The Chapel when in use as The Ring
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| Location | Blackfriars Road, Southwark, London |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Methodist, Congregationalist |
| History | |
| Founded | 8 June 1783 |
| Founder(s) | Rowland Hill |
| Dedicated | 1783 |
| Architecture | |
| Closed | 1881 |
| Demolished | 1942 (& partially in 1881) |
The Surrey Chapel was a special church in London, England. It was built in 1783 by a preacher named Rev. Rowland Hill. The church was located on Blackfriars Road in an area called Southwark.
It was known for its unique round shape and domed roof. When it was first built, the area around it was mostly open fields. But over time, it became a busy industrial place with many people. The Surrey Chapel was an important place for the community for nearly 100 years. Today, the site where the chapel once stood is an office building.
Contents
History of Surrey Chapel
The building of Surrey Chapel began in 1782, and it opened its doors in June 1783. Money to build it came from generous people, including Selina, Countess of Huntingdon. She was a Methodist who supported many good causes.
Rowland Hill, the first pastor, famously said that a round building would stop the Devil from hiding in any corners! He was also very interested in health. He set up one of London's best vaccination centers at Surrey Chapel. This helped many people stay safe from diseases.
Music and Missions
Surrey Chapel was not just for church services. It was also a place for music, singing, and meetings for charities. Many groups became connected with the chapel. A talented musician named Benjamin Jacob was the organist for a while. He attracted thousands of people with his music. Rowland Hill once asked, "Why should the Devil have all the good tunes?" This showed he wanted good music in church.
The chapel also worked closely with the London Missionary Society. For over 60 years, this society held its main yearly sermon at Surrey Chapel. Many famous missionaries, like Robert Moffat and John Williams, were sent out from here.
A Place for Everyone
Surrey Chapel welcomed many different religious leaders to preach. This included both official church figures and other Christian ministers. Because of this "open door" policy, it became a very popular place in London. It hosted many religious and even some political meetings.
It was also the site of London's very first Sunday School. As the area grew, so did the need for more space. The chapel started many programs for the poor working-class families nearby. These included ragged schools and more Sunday schools.
Growth and New Buildings
The chapel's educational programs became very large. They were probably the biggest of any free church in southern England. Surrey Chapel became the center for 13 Sunday schools. Four of these were evening ragged schools for children who worked during the day. There were also day schools in different parts of London. More than 5,000 children were taught by over 400 teachers.
By 1859, the church needed even more space. The leaders and members decided to move to a new location. They bought land nearby and built a much larger complex of buildings. This new site included a big church called Christ Church. It also had lecture halls, school rooms, and the Lincoln Memorial Tower. This tower honored Abraham Lincoln and the movement to end slavery in America. The congregation moved to the new location in 1876.
Rowland Hill's original Surrey Chapel was then used for other purposes. It was partly torn down and changed in 1881 to be used for businesses. A newspaper at the time said that its demolition removed "another familiar landmark of London's social and religious history."
Later Uses of the Building
Even after 1881, parts of the original Surrey Chapel building remained. It was still recognizable in the area. It was used for different businesses. Most famously, it became a boxing arena called 'the Ring' starting in 1910.
Dick Burge and his wife Bella Burge took over the building. They made it a popular place for working-class audiences to watch boxing matches. Bella Burge was even one of the first women to regularly attend boxing matches.
The building was eventually damaged during the Second World War in 1942. Today, a modern office building called Palestra stands on the site of the Surrey Chapel. This building is used by Transport for London. Across the street, there is an apartment building named Rowland Hill House, honoring the chapel's founder.
It is important not to confuse this Surrey Chapel in London with another church called Surrey Chapel in Norwich. The Norwich church was founded later, in 1844, and is still active today.
Background Reading
- Rev. Newman Hall D.D. (1868). Sermons with A History of Surrey Chapel and Its Institutions. New York: Sheldon
