Building    From 1573 

Wandsworth Chapel

Categories: Religion

Building

From The Story of Congregationalism in Surrey we discover that the claim on the plaque that there was a church/chapel erected here in 1573 is more tradition than truth. The early Wandsworth Presbyterians certainly did meet at this time but probably in private houses. It is now thought that the first chapel at this site was erected by the French refugee Huguenots. When they ceased using it in the 18th century it was used for various purposes, only some religious. "Iwas used by John Wesley, who often preached in the old building, and who here baptised his first heathen convert, a negro brought over from the West Indies by a resident of Wandsworth, Francis Gilbert, brother of the Speaker in the House of Representatives at Antigua."

Rowland Hill (not the PO man) ran it for a time. The Evangelical Association purchased the lease, renovated the building and reopened it in 1809. 

By the 1850s Wandsworth’s population had outgrown the little chapel in this back street.  A new chapel was built on East Hill and opened in 1860. Thee are a few churches on East Hill and we haven't identified which one this is. The old building was used as a school and entertainment venue for the working classes but was soon found to be inconvenient.  So the old church was demolished, stones laid by Geard and Toms, and a large hall capable of holding 500 people was opened in 1883. This continued to be used for church functions until 1939.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Wandsworth Chapel

Commemorated ati

Chapel - building

{On the plaque to the left:} Erected 1573, Enlarged 1685. {On the plaque to ...

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Other Subjects

St Margaret Pattens

St Margaret Pattens

The church gets its name from the pattens (clog-like shoes) made and sold in the lane beside the church. An early building was pulled down and reconstructed in 1538. After the Great Fire it was aga...

Building, Religion

2 memorials
American International Church

American International Church

During WW2 Americans in London worshipped at the Grosvenor Chapel. The congregation was relaunched in 1969 as the American Church and after using various church buildings it moved to the Whitefield...

Group, Religion, USA

1 memorial
Ralph Jackson

Ralph Jackson

Burnt at the stake in Bow (or possibly Stratford) for his Protestant beliefs.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial
St Benet Gracechurch

St Benet Gracechurch

Name derives from the nearby hay (or grass) market. Lost in the Great Fire, rebuilt by Wren, demolished 1876.

Building, Religion

1 memorial
American troops in WW2 in London

American troops in WW2 in London

During WW2 the US armed forces worshipped at the Grosvenor Chapel and partied at Rainbow Corner. This seems a good place to mention the searchable on-line honour roll of 28,000 Americans based in ...

Group, Armed Forces, Religion, USA

3 memorials