Independent Dissenters Chapel - Tarrant Street, Arundel, UK
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Master Mariner
N 50° 51.240 W 000° 33.353
30U E 672029 N 5636435
This blue plaque indicates that the building was used as an "Independent Dissenters Chapel" from "1784 - 1838". The building is on the south east side of Tarrant Street with the ground floor being used as a grocery store.
Waymark Code: WMPWC7
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/29/2015
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Touchstone
Views: 1

The Nullens website tells us about dissenters in Arundel and this building:

There were Presbyterians in Arundel in 1655, including the Mayor. The congregation had about 40 members in 1669, and 50 in 1676. Around that time both the Presbyterians and the Independents had their own licensed ministers. The two groups appear to have merged at the beginning of the 18th century. The congregation had about 90 members in 1717, and there were 13 Presbyterian or Independent families in the parish in 1724.

A renewed congregation of Independent, later Congregationalist, existed in 1780 and they built a house in Tarrant Street in 1784. Sometime they had a resident minister at the end of the 18th century. They founded a Sunday school in 1810 and by 1829 they had 150 members. They built a new chapel between 1836 and 1838 and named it Trinity Chapel (now known as Niveneh House). This church was very active until 1966 when the congregation merged with the Baptists to form Arundel Union Church. However they split in 1973 and services continued at Trinity Chapel until 1981. It was sold in 1986 and became an antiques market.

In 1736 a travelling preacher, George Whitefield converted to his cause Selina, Countess of Huntingdon. Both were initially Anglican. Selina formed a “Connection” that sent Calvinist preachers to tell the good news of the Gospel. They came to Arundel where the people who heard them were impressed. In 1767, another preacher, Mr. Glascott having heard John Wesley preaching, turned itinerant preacher and also came to Arundel. At the same time many Anglicans did not like the preaching at the parish church and went to listen in great number in High Street to these itinerant evangelical preachers. Premises were soon registered with the authorities, the first one being the Malt House in Tarrant Street registered in 1767. In 1780 this group registered the house next door to the malt House with John Hey as their Pastor. One member, Mr Finch, gave the money for a purpose-built chapel that was registered and opened in 1784. These people were known as Congregationalists but they remained close to the doctrine of the Church of England. In 1838 a new chapel, known as Trinity Chapel of the National Episcopal Church, was erected in Tarrant Street on the site of the old Nineveh House with Orlando Thomas Dobbins the Minister. By 1986 Trinity Chapel had been sold and was empty.

NB: The name “Congregationalist” comes from the fact that this church is run by each local congregation with little or no central organisation.

Blue Plaque managing agency: Unknown

Individual Recognized: Independent Dissenters Chapel

Physical Address:
Tarrant Street
Arundel, West Sussex United Kingdom


Web Address: [Web Link]

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