Bardon Park Chapel
Encyclopedia
Bardon Park Chapel is a 300 year old Christian meeting house at Bardon, Leicestershire, England
. It stands back from the A511 road
, between Coalville
and Markfield
, about 1.3 miles (2.1 km) west of M1 junction 22.
The chapel is a Grade II Listed building. It is widely regarded as being the oldest non-conformist place of worship in Leicestershire and indeed across a wide area of the East Midlands
.
.
Shortly after the Glorious Revolution
of 1688 when William
and Mary
took the throne of England, and Parliament passed the Act of Toleration
in 1689, the squire of Bardon Hall, John Hood built the meeting house at the gate of his estate, and engaged the services of a Presbyterian minister the Reverend Michael Matthews.
It is said that meetings for worship were held in the Bardon Hall from 1662 (the year of the "Great Ejection
") onwards. However, evidence for this is scant.
Michael Matthews also ministered at Mountsorrel
(or Mount Soar Hill) and his gravestone is inside the parish church at Swithland
. His son-in-law James Watson
also ministered at Mountsorrel and Bardon, and eventually James took the pastorate at the prestigious Great Meeting in Leicester
.
In the first part of the 18th century, a Dr John Evans compiled a list of Dissenting
congregations throughout the country. Dr. Evans's list indicates that Bardon Park was the largest rural congregation in Leicestershire.
operated at Bardon Park from 1820 onwards. There was also a day-school, prior to the Elementary Education Act 1870
. This day-school formed part of the "British Schools" movement (i.e. schools run under the auspices of the British and Foreign School Society
).
on the north wall and two large round-topped windows behind the pulpit, in typical style of the times. The pulpit probably dated from the mid-18th century, though it has been badly altered. Behind the pulpit are two slate
memorials, one dating from the end of the late 18th century and the other from the early 19th century. The chapel is galleried on three sides. The present galleries date from 1905 but they replace earlier galleries.
In 1877, the exterior appearance of the chapel was much altered as part of a re-modelling, and the "1877" datestone above the doorway indicates the date of re-modelling, the actual structure of the building being much older, and said to be 300 years old. The present gabled roof dates from 1877 and replaces earlier hipped roofs
.
A notable feature of the chapel is that a casement window
opens to allow coffins to be admitted.
To the rear of the chapel is a 19th century schoolroom
. This retains a painted alphabet board dated 1848, high on the classroom wall, as a model for scholars to copy their letters.
The buildings stand well back from the road, and they are surrounded by a sizeable burial ground
.
The chapel is situated at the edge of Bardon Park (formerly an ancient deer park
), with views across the park
land and to the Bardon Hall and the Bardon Hill summit beyond.
and squirearchy. In the 19th century, the chapel took on a new life as a place of worship for local farm, colliery and quarry workers. Today the chapel has a small congregation.
A national Congregational Union was formed stence in the 1830s. In 1972 the Presbyterian Church of England and the Congregational Union merged as the United Reformed Church
(URC). The Bardon Park congregation affiliated to the Congregational Union during the first half of the 19th century and in 1972 joined the URC.
In 2010 Bardon Park Chapel was used by both the URC congregation and Bardon Park Chapel Christian Fellowship.
During its long history as a Christian meetinghouse in the Free Church
tradition, the Bardon Park Chapel has been a place of worship used by Presbyterians, by Congregationalists and by Christians of no particular denomonation.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It stands back from the A511 road
A511 road
The A511 road is a stretch of mainly single-carriageway road which runs northwest from junction 22 of the M1 motorway in Leicestershire, England to join the A50 between Uttoxeter and Derby....
, between Coalville
Coalville
Coalville is a town in North West Leicestershire, England, with a population estimated in 2003 to be almost 33,000. It is situated on the A511 trunk road between Leicester and Burton upon Trent, close to junction 22 of the M1 motorway where the A511 meets the A50 between Ashby-de-la-Zouch and...
and Markfield
Markfield
Markfield is a commuter village sitting within both the National Forest and Charnwood Forest and in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire, England. The settlement dates back to at least the time of the Norman conquest and is mentioned in the Domesday Book under the name...
, about 1.3 miles (2.1 km) west of M1 junction 22.
The chapel is a Grade II Listed building. It is widely regarded as being the oldest non-conformist place of worship in Leicestershire and indeed across a wide area of the East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
.
Origins
Meetings for worship were first held in the old Bardon Hall, a moated house in Bardon Park, at a time in the 17th century when it was unlawful to meet for worship other than according to the rites and canons of the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
.
Shortly after the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
of 1688 when William
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
and Mary
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
took the throne of England, and Parliament passed the Act of Toleration
Act of Toleration 1689
The Act of Toleration was an act of the English Parliament , the long title of which is "An Act for Exempting their Majestyes Protestant Subjects dissenting from the Church of England from the Penalties of certaine Lawes".The Act allowed freedom of worship to Nonconformists who had pledged to the...
in 1689, the squire of Bardon Hall, John Hood built the meeting house at the gate of his estate, and engaged the services of a Presbyterian minister the Reverend Michael Matthews.
It is said that meetings for worship were held in the Bardon Hall from 1662 (the year of the "Great Ejection
Great Ejection
The Great Ejection followed the Act of Uniformity 1662 in England. Two thousand Puritan ministers left their positions as Church of England clergy, following the changes after the restoration to power of Charles II....
") onwards. However, evidence for this is scant.
Michael Matthews also ministered at Mountsorrel
Mountsorrel
Mountsorrel is a village in Leicestershire on the River Soar, just south of Loughborough with a population in 2001 of 6,662 inhabitants.-Geography:...
(or Mount Soar Hill) and his gravestone is inside the parish church at Swithland
Swithland
Swithland is a linear village in the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is in the old Charnwood Forest, between Cropston and Woodhouse and Woodhouse Eaves. Although small, it has a village hall, a parish church, and a pub. The village is known for the slate that was quarried in the...
. His son-in-law James Watson
James Watson
James Watson is the name of:*James Watson , British film and television actor*James Watson , United States Senator from New York...
also ministered at Mountsorrel and Bardon, and eventually James took the pastorate at the prestigious Great Meeting in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
.
In the first part of the 18th century, a Dr John Evans compiled a list of Dissenting
Dissenter
The term dissenter , labels one who disagrees in matters of opinion, belief, etc. In the social and religious history of England and Wales, however, it refers particularly to a member of a religious body who has, for one reason or another, separated from the Established Church.Originally, the term...
congregations throughout the country. Dr. Evans's list indicates that Bardon Park was the largest rural congregation in Leicestershire.
Schools
A Sunday schoolSunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
operated at Bardon Park from 1820 onwards. There was also a day-school, prior to the Elementary Education Act 1870
Elementary Education Act 1870
The Elementary Education Act 1870, commonly known as Forster's Education Act, set the framework for schooling of all children between ages 5 and 12 in England and Wales...
. This day-school formed part of the "British Schools" movement (i.e. schools run under the auspices of the British and Foreign School Society
British and Foreign School Society
The British and Foreign School Society offers charitable aid to educational projects in the UK and around the world by funding schools, other charities and educational bodies...
).
The chapel buildings
The chapel is square, with a high pulpitPulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
on the north wall and two large round-topped windows behind the pulpit, in typical style of the times. The pulpit probably dated from the mid-18th century, though it has been badly altered. Behind the pulpit are two slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
memorials, one dating from the end of the late 18th century and the other from the early 19th century. The chapel is galleried on three sides. The present galleries date from 1905 but they replace earlier galleries.
In 1877, the exterior appearance of the chapel was much altered as part of a re-modelling, and the "1877" datestone above the doorway indicates the date of re-modelling, the actual structure of the building being much older, and said to be 300 years old. The present gabled roof dates from 1877 and replaces earlier hipped roofs
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
.
A notable feature of the chapel is that a casement window
Casement window
A casement window is a window that is attached to its frame by one or more hinges. Casement windows are hinged at the side. A casement window (or casement) is a window that is attached to its frame by one or more hinges. Casement windows are hinged at the side. A casement window (or casement) is a...
opens to allow coffins to be admitted.
To the rear of the chapel is a 19th century schoolroom
Schoolroom
A schoolroom is a regular classroom in any school that has multiple purposes apart from holding classes....
. This retains a painted alphabet board dated 1848, high on the classroom wall, as a model for scholars to copy their letters.
The buildings stand well back from the road, and they are surrounded by a sizeable burial ground
Burial Ground
Burial Ground is the ninth studio album by Swedish death metal band Grave, released in June 2010.-Track listing:# "Liberation" - 3:40# "Semblance In Black" - 7:50# "Dismembered Mind" - 6:10# "Ridden With Belief" - 7:57# "Conquerer" - 4:44...
.
The chapel is situated at the edge of Bardon Park (formerly an ancient deer park
Medieval deer park
A medieval deer park was an enclosed area containing deer. It was bounded by a ditch and bank with a wooden park pale on top of the bank. The ditch was typically on the inside, thus allowing deer to enter the park but preventing them from leaving.-History:...
), with views across the park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
land and to the Bardon Hall and the Bardon Hill summit beyond.
The life of the chapel
In the 18th century, "Bardon Meeting" was attended by local gentryGentry
Gentry denotes "well-born and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past....
and squirearchy. In the 19th century, the chapel took on a new life as a place of worship for local farm, colliery and quarry workers. Today the chapel has a small congregation.
History of denominational allegiance
The early ministers at Bardon Park were Presbyterian. The wider or more general term "Protestant Dissenters" was also used and, in 1765, when the then head of the Hood family vested the Bardon Park Chapel in trustees, his Trust Deed did not identify any particular denomination. The 1765 Deed says simply that the building is to be used for "Protestant Dissenters" to worship in.A national Congregational Union was formed stence in the 1830s. In 1972 the Presbyterian Church of England and the Congregational Union merged as the United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
(URC). The Bardon Park congregation affiliated to the Congregational Union during the first half of the 19th century and in 1972 joined the URC.
In 2010 Bardon Park Chapel was used by both the URC congregation and Bardon Park Chapel Christian Fellowship.
During its long history as a Christian meetinghouse in the Free Church
Nonconformism
Nonconformity is the refusal to "conform" to, or follow, the governance and usages of the Church of England by the Protestant Christians of England and Wales.- Origins and use:...
tradition, the Bardon Park Chapel has been a place of worship used by Presbyterians, by Congregationalists and by Christians of no particular denomonation.