The Union Chapel is a Grade II* listed church and music venue in Islington

Islington

Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...

, North London

North London

North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...

, England

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...

, located on Compton Terrace.

An example of Victorian gothic architecture, it was designed by James Cubitt

James Cubitt

James Cubitt was a Victorian church architect specialising in building non-conformist chapels. He was the son of a Baptist minister, from Norfolk who taught at Spurgeon's Pastor's College in South Norwood Hill — then on the outskirts of London.Cubitt was articled to the firm of Isaac Charles...

, and constructed between 1874 and 1877, with further additions 1877-90, providing an ambitious new Congregationalist Church for Henry Allon

Henry Allon

Henry Allon , English Nonconformist divine, was born on 13 October 1818 at Welton, Elloughton-cum-Brough, near Hull, in Yorkshire.Under Methodist influence Henry Allon decided to enter the ministry, but, developing Congregational ideas, was trained at Cheshunt College, Hertfordshire and became...

. The 'Union' in the name refers to its origins as a joint congregation of Anglicans and non-conformists.

Ministers

• Thomas Lewis 1804 - 1852
• Henry Allon
  Henry Allon
  Henry Allon , English Nonconformist divine, was born on 13 October 1818 at Welton, Elloughton-cum-Brough, near Hull, in Yorkshire.Under Methodist influence Henry Allon decided to enter the ministry, but, developing Congregational ideas, was trained at Cheshunt College, Hertfordshire and became...
  
   1844 - 1892
• Hardy Harwood 1891 - 1914
• Janet Wootton
• Karen Stallard 2010 - Current

Organ

The organ dates from 1877 and is by Henry Willis and Sons. It was restored in 1946 by Monk & Gunther.A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.

Organists

• John Henry Gauntlett
  Henry Gauntlett
  Henry John Gauntlett was an English organist and songwriter known in British music circles for his authorship of a large number of hymns and other pieces for the organ....
  
   1852 - 1861
• Ebenezer Prout
  Ebenezer Prout
  Ebenezer Prout , was an English musical theorist, writer, teacher and composer, whose instruction, afterwards embodied in a series of standard works, underpinned the work of many British musicians of succeeding generations....
  
   1861 - 1873
• Fountain Meen 1880 - 1909
• John Hooker 1973 - 2002

Music venue

The Union Chapel is also used as a venue for secular music. The venue's capacity is around 800 and it was awarded The Time Out Live Venue of the Year 2002 but closed for arts events in January 2005. Upon reopening it has played host to many events including the Little Noise Sessions

Little Noise Sessions

The Little Noise Sessions is a series of acoustic charity concerts held annually at the Union Chapel, London, England in November, although one was held in Exeter in December 2009. The proceeds of ticket sales are donated to the charity, Mencap...

series of concerts for the charity MENCAP

Mencap

The Royal Mencap Society is a charity based in the UK that works with people with a learning disability.-Profile:Mencap is the UK's leading learning disability charity working with people with a learning disability and their families and carers...

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