Unitarian Chapel Portico - Stamford Street, London, UK
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Master Mariner
N 51° 30.417 W 000° 06.463
30U E 700711 N 5710168
The portico stands on the south side of Stamford Street in front on a very modern building.
Waymark Code: WMFK0G
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/28/2012
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member MeerRescue
Views: 6

The plaque, mounted within the portico, reads:

This portico was the entrance
to the former Unitarian Chapel
erected on this site in 1821
The main body of the chapel
(then in disuse) was demolished
in 1964 and subsequently the
portico was restored by
the Greater London Council

The portico is a Grade II listed structure and the entry at the English Heritage website [visit link] tells us:

"Large portico and part of ground floor. 1821. Doric hexastyle portico with triglyph frieze and pediment over. Central door with shouldered architrave and iron gates. Remaining ground floor walls at either side, each with 3 blank windows with shouldered architraves. Remainder of Unitarian Chapel now demolished."

The British History on-Line website [visit link] gives some background to the site in 1950:

"Stamford Street Unitarian Chapel

The erection of this chapel was begun in 1821 on a piece of open ground fronting the newly made Upper Stamford Street (now part of Stamford Street). The ground was purchased from Mr. David Bickerton for £400 and the contractors, Messrs. Bennett and Hunt, were paid £3,572 for the building. The cost was defrayed out of the proceeds of the sale to the Westminster Improvement Commissioners of the Unitarian Chapel in Princes Street, Westminster. The new chapel united the two congregations of Princes Street Chapel and St. Thomas's Street Chapel, Southwark, whose lease had run out. (ref. 252)

By 1859, the congregation had dwindled so much that it was proposed to close the chapel, but the advent of the Rev. Robert Spears in 1861 brought new life and a few years later the gallery was built across the back to increase the seating capacity.

In 1882, the congregation was flourishing and the need for more accommodation was felt. The roof was removed and a hall "capable of holding about 500 children" was built over the chapel for the use of the Sunday School. The organ, which came from Little Portland Street Chapel in the 1860's and which had been installed under the gallery, was moved to the recess between the columns at the opposite end of the building and the pulpit was advanced in front of it. At the same time, the vestry was enlarged and the original central entrance under the portico was replaced by two side doors.

In 1897, the congregation was joined by that of the Blackfriars Mission from the New Cut, and the accommodation of the chapel was further increased by the excavation of rooms below ground level. The present pulpit was also installed at that time.
Architectural Description

The building has some pretensions to architectural merit. A writer at the time of its erection described the design as "chaste and grand." (ref. 232) The front projects slightly from the adjacent houses and consists of a hexastyle portico of the Doric order crowned by a pediment, the shafts of the columns standing directly on the pavement.

The interior is dignified and simple in treatment, reflecting the Greek character of the front. It has a flat ceiling with massive beams and is lit by three plain round-arched windows on each side. Over the entrance lobby is a shallow stepped gallery with an iron grille front of anthemion design. Behind the rostrum is a shallow recess containing the organ and partially screened by two fluted Doric columns."

The UK Unitarians website [visit link] tells us:

"Blackfriars. Behind the National Theatre on the South Bank you will find Stamford Street, and towards the eastern end are the remains of the once very grand Stamford Street Chapel, namely a classical portico. The chapel dated from 1821 or 1823, depending which authority you take, and the congregation was itself a merger of two older foundations from Southwark and Westminster. The Rev Robert Spears revived the cause at Stamford Street in the 1860s, when it was almost deserted. The chapel closed in 1962, and most of it was demolished shortly afterwards. A plaque remains."

It goes on to mention the plaque.

Type of Historic Marker: Plaque

Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Greater London Council

Age/Event Date: 01/01/1964

Related Website: [Web Link]

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