Plaque

Union Chapel

Inscription

In memoriam - Union Chapel
Founded - 1799
Built - 1806
Rebuilt - 1877

Pastors:
Thomas Lewis, 1802 - 1852
Henry Allon DD, 1843 - 1892

The two pastors are Lewis, the first, and, Allon, the one that oversaw the erection of this building. This plaque was probably added shortly after Allon's death in 1892.

Site: Union Chapel (3 memorials)

N1, Compton Terrace, Union Chapel

The two foundation stones can be seen below the more ornate plaque. We do like their plain multi-layered frames.

The building was threatened with demolition in 1982, but was saved and, with much assistance from English Heritage, has been undergoing a continuing programme of restoration. The acoustics are good and it is a well-used concert venue.

A tour of this building enabled us to see two interesting relics: A long section of stone laid into the wall of a corridor, on which is inscribed the name of the Chapel. We were told this was from the facade of the original 1806 building. And a piece of the original Plymouth Rock, on which the Pilgrim Fathers famously and apocryphally stepped ashore in 1620. This was apparently given to the Union Chapel in 1886 by an American group of fellow non-conformists. We wondered how many pieces of the Rock exist around the world. There seem to be a few so if anyone else wants to research this you can start here and here.   

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Union Chapel

Subjects commemorated i

Union Chapel, Islington

From Union Chapel: "Our story ... started in 1799 when dissenting congregants...

Read More

Rev. Henry Allon

Born near Hull.  Joint pastor of the Islington Union Chapel from 1843/4 with ...

Read More

Thomas Lewis

The first pastor of the Islington Union Chapel, appointed in 1802/4 (sources ...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Union Chapel

Also at this site i

Union Chapel - foundation

Union Chapel - foundation

Union Chapel foundation stone

Read More

Union Chapel - Spicer

Union Chapel - Spicer

The dates must be the (notional) start and end dates of the erection of the b...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Joanna Baillie

Joanna Baillie

NW3, Windmill Hill, Bolton House

1926 - 1944 this house was the home of the extraordinary painter, Gluck (1895 - 1978). She commissioned Edward Maufe to convert an outbui...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
St John's church Clerkenwell - repairs

St John's church Clerkenwell - repairs

EC1, St John's Square, St John's Cloister Garden

Details of this repair work are given at British History Online. Until the post-war reconstruction it seems that these were the only sign...

1 subject commemorated
Tower Liberty

Tower Liberty

EC3, Tower Hill, Wakefield Gardens

We normally rotate our memorial pictures as necessary to make sure the statues are standing upright and the plaques can be read without f...

4 subjects commemorated
Black Prince Road ceramics - plaque 04

Black Prince Road ceramics - plaque 04

SE11, Black Prince Road, Tunnel underneath railway bridge

These lovely ceramics plaques were installed some time in or before 2008. There are 12 oval ceramics of which 7 nos 1-7) are mosaic and r...

1 subject commemorated
Sir Basil Spence

Sir Basil Spence

N1, Canonbury Place, 1

English Heritage Sir Basil Spence, 1907-1976, architect, lived and worked here.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator