United Reformed Church, Upwey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids United Reformed Church
Religion
Affiliation	United Reformed Church
Location
Location	Upwey, Dorset, England
Architecture
Architect(s)	Robert C. Bennett
Architectural type	Church
Completed	1881

The United Reformed Church in Upwey, Dorset, England, was once a busy church. It was first called the Congregational Chapel. This building was constructed between 1880 and 1881. It served the community until 1992, when it closed its doors. Today, the building is owned by a private person.

Early Worship in Upwey

Independent church services in Upwey started around the early 1800s. A minister named Rev. B. Cracknell from Weymouth was allowed to hold services in his home. Around 1807, another local resident, Mr. George Wood, turned a room in one of his cottages into a place for Thursday evening services. These services were led by ministers from Weymouth.

Building the First Chapel

The services became very popular, and more space was needed. So, Mr. Wood decided to build Upwey's first independent chapel. He built it on his own land and paid for it himself. The chapel was built between 1809 and 1810. It officially opened on December 13, 1810. Rev. R. Keynes from Blandford Forum led the opening service. Ministers from nearby areas often came to preach. When no minister was available, Mr. Wood would read sermons.

First Pastors and Growth

The first full-time pastor for Upwey was Rev. James Le Couteur. He started his role on May 2, 1838. The chapel became bigger during the time of Rev. Joseph Price, who was pastor from 1870 to 1874.

Building the New Church

In 1875, Rev. John Shadrack Butcher became the new pastor. The old chapel was no longer big enough for everyone. Pastor Shadrack started working to build a new, larger church.

Planning and Construction

A piece of land was bought for £145. Mr. Robert C. Bennett from Weymouth drew up the plans for the new building. The job of building the church went to Mr. John Patten from Portland. Construction began even before a special ceremony was held. On June 16, 1880, Mr. J. J. Norton, who was the Sheriff of Poole, laid a memorial stone.

Opening and Later Additions

The new church cost £1,490 to build. It opened for its first service on May 18, 1881. Rev. Dr. J. G. Rogers from Clapham gave the sermon. The original, older chapel was sold for £190. In 1892, a house for the minister, called a manse, was built next to the new church. The land for the manse cost £120, and building it cost £515.

Changes and Closure

In the 1950s, fewer people were attending the church. It looked like the church might have to close. However, it avoided closure by working together with the congregational church in Radipole in the mid-1950s. Also, Rev. W. Charles Stacey became the pastor in Upwey in 1958, which helped.

Renaming and Final Years

In 1972, the church was renamed the Upwey United Reformed Church. The manse, the minister's house, was sold in the same year. In February 1990, the church building was damaged by a storm. But volunteers worked hard to repair it by June of that year. The very last service was held in July 1992. After that, the church was sold to a private owner.

Church Design

The church was built in a style called the Decorated style. It was designed to hold 300 people. The building included a main hall (nave), two side sections (transepts), a rounded end (apse), a front entrance (porch), and two small rooms (vestries). A schoolroom was planned but not built at first because there wasn't enough money. It was added later in the early 1900s. Many of the church's inside parts and decorations were made from shiny pitch pine wood. Mrs. Samson, who was Mr. Wood's daughter, gave the chapel a beautiful stained glass window. This window was a gift to remember her parents.