St John's Chapel, Bedford Row
Encyclopedia
St John's Chapel, Bedford Row, in Bloomsbury
, London
, was a proprietary chapel
and the home of a large evangelical Anglican congregation in the 19th century. According to The Eclectic Review
it was built for people who seceded from the congregation of St Andrew's, Holborn
after Henry Sacheverell
was forced on them by Queen Anne
in 1713. It was located at (51.522°N 0.1173°W) in the vicinity of Chapel Street and Great James Street http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=45213, the latter being a northerly extension of Bedford Row.
Rev Richard Cecil became minister there in March, 1780; he died in 1810. When he became minister there, it was described as being the largest Church of England chapel in London. Having been much neglected, it required a large sum for its repair. (Pratt, Josiah: Life of Richard Cecil)
Daniel Wilson
, later Bishop of Calcutta, became assistant curate there in 1808 and was the minister from 1812 to 1824.
From 1824 to 1826 Rev Charles Jerram was minister, before resigning to return to his incumbency as vicar of Chobham, Surrey.
From 1827 to 1848, Baptist Wriotheseley Noel
was the incumbent. He afterwards became a Baptist
(perhaps not surprisingly, given his name!).
In 1848-9 Thomas Dealtry
, perhaps better known as Archdeacon of Calcutta and Bishop of Madras was incumbent, as was Joseph Butterworth Owen later from 1854 to 1857.
According to Grayson Carter in "Anglican Evangelicals" after Noel's departure the chapel continued its evangelical ministry but not its prominence. The roof collapsed in November 1856, and the building was demolished in 1863.
The church was associated with the Clapham Sect
and the Eclectic Society
, and with William Wilberforce
and Zachary Macaulay
In an earlier period William Riley (fl. 1760-90), author of Parochial music corrected and The divine harmonist's assistant was singing master and clerk at this chapel.
In 1814 Miss Theophania Cecil produced The Psalm and Hymn Tunes used at St. John's Chapel, Bedford Row.
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, was a proprietary chapel
Proprietary Chapel
A proprietary chapel is a chapel that originally belonged to a private person. In the 19th century Britain they were common, often being built to cope with urbanisation. Frequently they were set up by evangelical philanthropists with a vision of spreading Christianity in cities whose needs could no...
and the home of a large evangelical Anglican congregation in the 19th century. According to The Eclectic Review
The Eclectic Review
The Eclectic Review was a British periodical published monthly during the first half of the 19th century aimed at highly literate readers of all classes. Published between 1805 and 1868, it reviewed books in many fields, including literature, history, theology, politics, science, art, and philosophy...
it was built for people who seceded from the congregation of St Andrew's, Holborn
St Andrew, Holborn
St Andrew, Holborn is a Church of England church on the northwestern edge of the City of London, on Holborn within the Ward of Farringdon Without.-Roman and medieval:Roman pottery was found on the site during 2001/02 excavations in the crypt...
after Henry Sacheverell
Henry Sacheverell
Henry Sacheverell was an English High Church clergyman and politician.-Early life:The son of Joshua Sacheverell, rector of St Peter's, Marlborough,...
was forced on them by Queen Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
in 1713. It was located at (51.522°N 0.1173°W) in the vicinity of Chapel Street and Great James Street http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=45213, the latter being a northerly extension of Bedford Row.
Rev Richard Cecil became minister there in March, 1780; he died in 1810. When he became minister there, it was described as being the largest Church of England chapel in London. Having been much neglected, it required a large sum for its repair. (Pratt, Josiah: Life of Richard Cecil)
Daniel Wilson
Daniel Wilson, Bishop of Calcutta
Daniel Wilson, Bishop of Calcutta , born in Spitalfields, London, 2 July 1778, died in Calcutta, 2 January 1858.He was educated at St Edmund Hall, Oxford ; was ordained, and became curate of Richard Cecil at Cobham and Bisley in Surrey, where he developed into a strong Evangelical preacher; was...
, later Bishop of Calcutta, became assistant curate there in 1808 and was the minister from 1812 to 1824.
From 1824 to 1826 Rev Charles Jerram was minister, before resigning to return to his incumbency as vicar of Chobham, Surrey.
From 1827 to 1848, Baptist Wriotheseley Noel
Baptist Wriotheseley Noel
The Hon. Rev. Baptist Wriothesley Noel was an English evangelical clergyman of aristocratic family. He was minister of St John's Chapel, Bedford Row, London, from 1827 to 1848 and afterwards became a Baptist minister and President of the Baptist Union.-Family:Noel was born in Brussels, Belgium,...
was the incumbent. He afterwards became a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
(perhaps not surprisingly, given his name!).
In 1848-9 Thomas Dealtry
Thomas Dealtry
The Rt Rev Thomas Dealtry was an Anglican Bishop in the 19th century.Mainly self-taught, Dealtry worked as an usher in a Doncaster school and then as tutor to a private family, where he eloped with the sister of his pupil in 1819. After she died, he married again in 1824. He then studied at St...
, perhaps better known as Archdeacon of Calcutta and Bishop of Madras was incumbent, as was Joseph Butterworth Owen later from 1854 to 1857.
According to Grayson Carter in "Anglican Evangelicals" after Noel's departure the chapel continued its evangelical ministry but not its prominence. The roof collapsed in November 1856, and the building was demolished in 1863.
The church was associated with the Clapham Sect
Clapham Sect
The Clapham Sect or Clapham Saints were a group of influential like-minded Church of England social reformers based in Clapham, London at the beginning of the 19th century...
and the Eclectic Society
Eclectic Society (Christian)
The Eclectic Society was founded in 1783 by a number of Anglican clergymen and laymen as a discussion group, and was instrumental in the founding of the Church Missionary Society in 1799.-Origins:...
, and with William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...
and Zachary Macaulay
Zachary Macaulay
Zachary Macaulay was a slavery abolitionist and campaigner.-Early life:Macaulay was born in Inveraray, Scotland, the son of the Rev. John Macaulay Zachary Macaulay (2 May 1768 – 13 May 1838) was a slavery abolitionist and campaigner.-Early life:Macaulay was born in Inveraray, Scotland, the son of...
In an earlier period William Riley (fl. 1760-90), author of Parochial music corrected and The divine harmonist's assistant was singing master and clerk at this chapel.
In 1814 Miss Theophania Cecil produced The Psalm and Hymn Tunes used at St. John's Chapel, Bedford Row.