The Unitarian Chapel
claims priority of notice, as being the first dissenting place of worship in Chester. The following succinct sketch of the history of this building is taken from Pigott’s ‘History of Chester:’—
“The Unitarian chapel is a large brick building, with a burial ground in front, situated between Crook-lane and Trinity-lane, having an entrance from each of those streets, and is generally called Crook’s-lane Chapel. It was built in 1700 by a large, flourishing, respectable society, which had been formed in 1687 by the celebrated Matthew Henry, son of the learned, pious, and laborious Philip Henry, one of the ejected ministers. In the register book belonging to the congregation of this place there is a short account of the rise, progress, and transactions of the society, written by Mr. Henry in 1710, being the twenty-third year of his ministry. From this account, it appears that in 1682 there were three dissenting congregations in Chester, which had been founded by Mr. William Cook, Mr. Ralph Hall, and Mr. John Harvey, ministers of the Established Church, who had been ejected from their respective livings on account of their non-compliance with the Act of Uniformity. After the death of Mr. Cook and Mr. Hall, their congregations were entirely broken up and dispersed by the persecutions of the times; but such of them as continued dissenters occasionally held meetings at each other’s houses, or joined Mr. Harvey’s congregation, which assembled at his house in a private manner, in order to avoid the penalties which were then in force against the Nonconformists. James the Second, under the pretence of universal toleration, but with a view to the establishment of popery, granted them the liberty of public worship, of which they had been deprived in the latter part of the reign of Charles the Second. It was at this time that Mr. Henry, who began his ministry in Chester, collected the remains of the congregation of Mr. Cook and Mr. Hall, and opened a meeting in White Friars’-lane. Mr. Harvey, who had been ejected from Wallasey, in Cheshire, continued to preside over a dissenting congregation in Bridge-street for thirteen years after toleration was granted; he died November, 1699; he was succeeded by his son, who resigned in 1706, on account of ill-health. His congregation, which was large and opulent, was united to that of Mr. Henry, and in 1707 a large gallery was built on the south side of Crook’s-lane meeting-house for their better accommodation. Thus the three original nonconformist societies were united in one, under the pastoral care of Mr. Henry, who was then the only dissenting minister in Chester.”
Mr. Henry removed from Chester to Hackney in 1713, and died of apoplexy, at Nantwich, where he had been on a visit to his friends, in June, 1714, in the 52nd year of his age, and was buried in Trinity Church in this city. His exposition of the Bible has gone through very many editions, and is still in great repute. Mr. John Gardiner succeeded Mr. Henry in 1713, and held his appointment for more than half a century. During the latter years of his ministry, his religious opinions appear to have undergone a decided change, departing very much from the doctrines maintained by Mr. Henry, which gradually prepared the way for the full development of Unitarianism in the place by his successor, Mr. Chidlaw, who was an avowed believer and advocate of the tenets peculiar to that system of Socinian doctrine. The present minister is the Rev. James Macdonald.
Independent Chapel.
This place of worship is situated on the west side of Queen-street. It is a handsome brick building, having a chaste stone front, with covered portico, and pillars of the Grecian Doric order. It has galleries on three sides, and will accommodate about 1,200 persons. It contains also a good organ. The founders of this chapel were seceders from the Presbyterian congregation in Crook-street, in consequence of a departure from what they held as the principles of a sound faith, as we have already noticed. For some years they worshipped in a large room in Commonhall-street, afterwards occupied by Mr. Wilcoxon’s congregation. They formed themselves into a church in 1772, when the Rev. Wm. Armitage was chosen the pastor. The chapel in Queen-street was erected in 1777; it was very much enlarged in 1838, when great improvements were made in the arrangements of the interior. At the same time a spacious wing was added to the building, which is used as a lecture-room and as a sabbath school for girls: underneath the lecture-room is a commodious sabbath school for boys. In addition to the Sunday schools in Queen-street, there are also three branch schools in the suburbs of the city, which are supported by the congregation. The present minister is the Rev. C. Chapman.
Wesleyan Methodist Chapel.
(OLD CONNEXION.)
This chapel (says Hemingway) was erected in 1811; it is a large, well-built, handsome structure, with a semicircular front, and two entrances. It is galleried on three sides, and behind the pulpit is a large orchestra for the accommodation of singers, where there is also a well-toned organ. The introduction of Methodism into this city occurred about the year 1750, and the first preacher who visited the neighbourhood was a Mr. John Bennett. He commenced his labours at Huntington Hall, in the neighbourhood, the residence of Mr. George Cotton; from thence the preaching was removed to the house of Mr. Richard Jones, in Love-lane, within the city, where a society was first formed; the house soon became too small for them, the society therefore procured and fitted up a capacious barn in Martin’s Ash, from which time they were regularly supplied with travelling preachers, and where the Rev. John Wesley frequently visited them, in his annual excursions. After remaining in Martin’s Ash for about twelve years, they had sufficient credit to obtain £520 upon bond, with which they erected, in 1765, the Octagon Chapel in Foregate-street, which they continued to occupy until their removal to St. John-street. The Wesleyans have also built commodious schoolrooms, which are very numerously attended. The resident ministers are the Rev. T. Brooks and the Rev. J. E. Cooke.
