Yapton Free Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yapton Free Church |
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| Yapton Evangelical Free Church | |
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The church (left) and attached schoolroom (right) from the northwest
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 Yapton Free Church
Location in West Sussex
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| 50°49′15″N 0°36′56″W / 50.820912°N 0.615601°W | |
| Location | Main Road, Yapton, West Sussex BN18 0EA |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Evangelical |
| Previous denomination | Congregational |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | 1861 (in present building) |
| Founder(s) | Henry Bateman |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 20 September 1984 |
| Years built | 1861 |
Yapton Free Church is a Christian church in the village of Yapton, West Sussex, England. It is also known as Yapton Evangelical Free Church. The church building is made of flint and was built in 1861. It was first used by a group of people called Congregational worshippers.
Over time, more people joined the church. By the 1990s, the building was sometimes too small. So, some church activities moved to bigger places. The church is independent, meaning it doesn't belong to a large church group. However, it is connected to a worldwide network of churches called Partners in Harvest. The church building is important for its history and design. Because of this, it is a "Grade II listed building" by Historic England.
History of Yapton Free Church
People who were not part of the main Church of England, called Nonconformists, lived in Yapton as early as the 1600s. A group of Independent Christians, also known as Congregationalists, started meeting for worship in Yapton around 1830. By 1846, they had a special room for their meetings.
In 1861, the current church building was constructed. It was paid for by a person named Henry Bateman. A Sunday school building was also built next to the church. In its early years, the church received help from other Congregational churches nearby.
Becoming an Evangelical Church
In 1973, the church changed its focus and became known as Yapton Evangelical Free Church. This means it became part of the Evangelical movement. By 1991, the church had so many members that its services were held in the Yapton and Ford Village Hall.
Today, Yapton Free Church is part of the Partners in Harvest network. This network started in Canada in 1994. It connects independent churches from different Christian groups around the world.
The church is officially registered as a place of worship. It was also registered in 1887 for people to get married there.
Building and Design
Yapton Free Church has an L-shape. It includes the main church area and a schoolroom attached to it. The building is considered "pretty." Its walls are mostly made of flint, which is a type of stone. Some parts also have brickwork and smooth, stucco-covered stone.
The main church area used to have different inside features, but these were removed by the 1980s. The front of the church has two sections with a pointed roof (gable) and a porch. The sides of the church have windows with rounded tops.
There is another entrance where the schoolroom connects to the main church. The schoolroom has a single floor and three sections. The middle section also has a pointed roof and a wide arched window. The other windows are narrow.
See also
