Whitefield's Tabernacle, Kingswood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Whitefield's Tabernacle, Kingswood |
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The Whitefield's Tabernacle building
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | United Reformed Church |
| District | Kingswood |
| Location | |
| Location | South Gloucestershire, England |
 Location in Gloucestershire
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| Architecture | |
| Completed | 1741 |
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Whitefield's Tabernacle is an old church building in Kingswood, near Bristol. It was once a place where people who followed the Calvinistic Methodist and Congregational faiths met. Today, it is part of the United Reformed Church.
This church is famous because George Whitefield, a well-known preacher, used to give sermons here. He often preached outdoors to coal miners in the area. The name "Tabernacle" refers to two different buildings where the church group gathered over time.
The Original Tabernacle Building
The first group of worshippers met in a building called the New Society Room. This building was constructed in 1741 for George Whitefield and John Cennick. They started this new meeting place after a disagreement with John Wesley, another famous religious leader.
Over time, the New Society Room was made much larger in 1802. This original building is now considered a very important historical site. It is a Grade I listed building, which means it has special protection. Sadly, after a fire, it no longer has a roof and is in ruins.
The Masters Church Building
In 1851, a much bigger church was built right next to the original Tabernacle. This new building was designed by an architect named Henry Masters. It was built in the Gothic style, which means it looked like old medieval churches.
This larger church is known as Masters Church. It is also a protected historical building, listed as Grade II. In 1983, Masters Church closed its doors. The church group then moved back into the original 18th-century Tabernacle building for a few years.
Later, the group decided to join with another church from the same historical period, the Moravian Church. They moved into the Moravian building on the other side of High Street. This new combined church was called United Church Kingswood. It continued to hold services until it closed in January 2023.
Efforts to Restore the Tabernacle
The Whitefield's Tabernacle building has a long history. In 2003, it was featured on a TV show called Restoration by the BBC. This show highlighted important historical buildings that needed help to be saved.
Around 2007, there were plans to fix up the three historic buildings on the Tabernacle site. These included the two church buildings and an 18th-century house called Chapel House. The plans suggested creating memorial areas and building apartments in the Chapel House and the 19th-century church.
The Whitfield Tabernacle Trust became the owner of the building in January 2019. After many years of not being used and being damaged, especially after a fire in 2000, restoration work finally started in 2021. This work is happening thanks to a large grant of £682,000 from Metro Mayor Dan Norris. The goal is to turn the Tabernacle into a community arts centre for everyone to enjoy.
See also
- Churches in Bristol
- Grade I listed buildings in Bristol
