Trinity Congregational Church, Arundel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Trinity Congregational Church |
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The former chapel from the north-northwest
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| 50°51′14″N 0°33′20″W / 50.8539°N 0.5555°W | |
| Location | 31A Tarrant Street, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 9DG |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Congregational |
| Previous denomination | Independent |
| History | |
| Status | Chapel |
| Founded | 1780 (in another building) |
| Consecrated | 14 August 1838 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Closed |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 7 October 1974 |
| Architect(s) | Robert Abraham |
| Style | Neo-Norman/Romanesque Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1836 |
| Completed | 1838 |
| Closed | 1980s |
Trinity Congregational Church was once a special building for Christians called Congregationalists and Independents. It is located in Arundel, an old town in West Sussex, England. People who didn't follow the main Church of England or the Catholic Church were called Protestants or Nonconformists. They were very active in Arundel.
The first group of worshippers started meeting in the 1780s. After using other places, they built the current church in the 1830s. A famous poet named George MacDonald was once a pastor here. The building has a unique style, designed by Robert Abraham. In the 1980s, the church closed and became a market. It is now called Nineveh House. The building is protected as a Grade II Listed building.
Contents
History of the Church
Early Christian Groups
From the 1600s, many Christians in Sussex chose to worship differently. They were called Nonconformists. They did not follow the main Church of England or the Catholic Church. Even though there were more Nonconformists in East Sussex, some areas in West Sussex were also very active. One of these places was the old town of Arundel, located by the River Arun. Several groups, like Presbyterians, Quakers, and Baptists, started churches there in the 1600s.
In the late 1700s, these groups grew again. A group of Independent Christians began meeting in 1780. They believed each church should make its own decisions. In 1784, they built a chapel on Tarrant Street. This group later became part of the Congregational Church.
A New Building and a Famous Pastor
The church grew a lot in the early 1800s. They started a Sunday school and a choir in the 1810s. The building was made bigger in 1822. By 1829, about 150 people were members.
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In 1836, the church bought land next to their old chapel for a new one. Robert Abraham, an architect from London, was chosen to design it. Building work took place from 1836 to 1838. The new chapel was much larger. It also had a hall underneath, which was used as a schoolroom. Abraham also designed Arundel Town Hall around the same time. The two buildings look a bit similar.
George MacDonald, a Scottish poet and writer of children's books, became the pastor in 1850. However, his sermons were not very popular. He resigned three years later. He had trained to be a pastor but decided to focus on writing instead.
Spreading the Word
The Trinity Church helped start other churches nearby in the 1800s. One was in Yapton in the 1840s. The church building there, built in 1861, is still used today. It is now called Yapton Free Church. Another church, Providence Congregational Chapel, started in Marehill in 1845. Its newer building in Pulborough is now called Pulborough United Reformed Church. Amberley Congregational Chapel in Amberley started in 1867. It was used until 1978.
In 1851, over 100 people attended Trinity Church services. More than 100 children went to the Sunday school. The church minister lived in a special house called a manse nearby.
Changes Over Time
In 1966, the church became known as Arundel Union Church. This happened when the Baptist church in Arundel joined them. This allowed the Baptist building to close. In 1972, the Congregational Church joined with other churches to form the United Reformed Church. Because of this, the Baptist members left in 1973. They joined another church until they built their own new church in Arundel in 1980.
United Reformed services continued at Union Church until 1981. The building was sold in the 1980s. Since 1990, it has been home to the Arundel Arts, Crafts and Antiques Market. It has 16 stalls and is open every day. The building is now called Nineveh House. It was officially listed as a Grade II Listed building on October 7, 1974. The chapel was also used for weddings from 1840 until 1982.
What Does It Look Like?
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Robert Abraham's design for the church is quite special. It uses a style called Romanesque Revival. This means it looks like old Roman buildings. It also has parts that look like Norman buildings. One writer, Ian Nairn, said the building was "not good." He also noted it looked similar to the "gloomy" town hall that Abraham designed.
The front of the building is made of knapped flint. This is a type of stone that has been shaped. It has stone corners and decorative bands. The side walls are made of red and grey brick and flint. The front is divided into three equal parts. These parts are separated by stone pillars that go all the way up. The roof is made of slate and has a pointed top.
Under the pointed roof, there is a round window with slats. The first floor has three tall, round-topped windows. The main entrance is in the middle of the ground floor. It is set into a similar arch. The stone used for the windows, doors, and decorations came from a quarry in nearby Pulborough. Inside, there was a balcony on the north wall. The balconies on the other sides have been removed.
There used to be a garden in front of the church. The walls and gate posts around this garden are also protected. They are made of brick with flint and stone decorations. The gate posts are also made of stone from Pulborough.
See also
