Wainsgate Baptist Church facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wainsgate Baptist Church
Wainsgate Baptist Church
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
OS grid reference	SD 998 288
Location	Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire
Country	England
Denomination	Baptist
Website	Wainsgate Church
Architecture
Functional status	Redundant
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	29 April 1982
Architectural type	Church
Groundbreaking	1859
Completed	1860
Closed	2001
Specifications
Materials	Stone with slate roof

Wainsgate Baptist Church is an old church building located high above Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, England. It is no longer used for regular church services. This special building and its old school are protected as a Grade II* listed building. This means they are very important historical structures. The Historic Chapels Trust now looks after the chapel.

History of Wainsgate Church

How the Church Began

The church started in 1750 for a group called the Particular Baptists. It was part of a big religious movement in the 1700s called the Evangelical Revival. A local church leader, Rev William Grimshaw, helped inspire its creation.

The first minister was Richard Smith. In 1764, John Fawcett took over. John Fawcett wrote the famous hymn "Blessed Be the Tie that Binds" in 1772.

Building and Changes

The church building you see today was built between 1859 and 1860. Its inside was made even better in the 1890s. The building behind the chapel was first used as the minister's home. In 1890, it became a school.

The church stopped holding regular services in 2001. In 2004, the Historic Chapels Trust began caring for it.

Church Design and Features

Building Structure

The church is made from rough-cut stone with smooth stone details. It has a slate roof and two floors. The front of the church has three sections. The main door is in the middle of the lower floor. It has decorative columns on each side.

Above the door is a fan-shaped window with a fancy border. A stone plaque above this shows the year 1859. On each side of the door, there is a round-topped window. There are three similar windows on the upper floor. Above these windows is a triangular top part called a pediment.

The chapel extends back with four more sections, each with similar windows. The old school building is attached to the back of the chapel. At the very end of the school, there are doorways and windows with three parts. The end wall of the school has a large, fancy window with three sections, known as a Venetian window.

Inside the Church

Inside, the first three sections of the church have a curved balcony with curved seats, called pews. In the section furthest back, you will find the organ and the pulpit. The pulpit is a raised stand where the minister would speak.

There is also a platform with wooden rails, where the communion table stands. Above this area, the ceiling is curved like a barrel. It is painted blue with stars.

The pulpit was added in 1891. It has eight sides and is made of white and colored marbles. It is decorated with small carved pictures. Anthony Welsh designed it. The communion table is from 1896. The wooden rails around its platform have twisted posts and were made by J. W. Mitchell.

The windows have beautiful stained glass made by the Powell Brothers. In the middle of the ceiling, there is a decorative vent shaped like a rose. You can also find memorials inside the church for Richard Smith and John Fawcett.

Outside the Church

John Fawcett's Tomb

In the churchyard, you can find the tomb of John Fawcett, who died in 1817. It is a stone chest-shaped tomb on a base. The top slab has inscriptions carved into it. A low stone wall with cast iron railings surrounds the tomb. This tomb is also a Grade II listed building.

War Graves

There are also graves in the churchyard for soldiers who died in the First World War.

Wainsgate Today

Today, the church and school have been repaired. They are now used for concerts and other special events.

See also

• List of chapels preserved by the Historic Chapels Trust
• Birchcliffe Baptist Church