The first Gravel Pit Chapel was built for a Presbyterian congregation in 1715–16 at what is now the corner of Chatham Place and Ram Place, a short distance from the plaque, to the north.
In 1809 the congregation moved to new premises, at the site of the plaque, which became known as New Gravel Pit Chapel. The congregation began to identify itself as Unitarian.
It was rebuilt in a Gothic style with Kentish ragstone in 1857, designed by H. A. Darbishire. Our picture source also has a drawing of the charming little chapel replaced by this thumping Victorian edifice. A church hall, Aspland Hall, was erected in 1912. The church was damaged by bombs in 1940, and repairs completed in 1953. During this time the congregation meet in Aspland Hall which was cheaper to heat and they tended to stay there even after they could have moved back to the church.
The last service in the repaired chapel was a 300th anniversary foundation (of Unitarianism) commemoration held on 2nd October 1966. The Greater London Council purchased the site and demolished the Chapel in 1969, in order to build flats.
In 1809, when the original congregation left, the original building became known as the Old Gravel Pit Chapel and was taken over by Congregationalists. The building on that site now, could just about be the original chapel, though much changed. It's the rear section of the building on the corner of Chatham Place with Ram Place. May 2021 Google has it as "Aquascutum Chatham" "permanently closed".
From the 1875 map we see that the location of the plaque marks the rear wall of the gardens/graveyard which surrounded the chapel on 3 sides: north, west and south. Its front, west face, was on Paradise Place, which is now the southern section of Chatham Place.
Layers of London have an entry for this chapel, but the most interesting extra reading is our picture source, the Hackney Gazette. There we learn that the old graveyard is the source of the brambles that hang down in front of the plaque and the sculptures on the railings. It is completely walled in and there is no access.
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