A Short History Of New Chapel Baptist Church 1804 1957

Author : Alan H. J. Green
Publisher : Phillimore
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 200 pages
Book Rating : 4.X/5 (4 download)

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Download or read book St John's Chapel and the New Town, Chichester written by Alan H. J. Green and published by Phillimore. This book was released on 2005 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: St. John's Chapel in Chichester is a rare survivor--a Georgian proprietary chapel which has largely escaped the attentions of modernizers. By the noted architect James Elmes, it is listed Grade I and no ordinary place of worship, it was built and run as a commercial venture. Although firmly part of the Church of England, it had no parish to fund it and its trustees had to pay dividends to the shareholders as well as the minister's salary. Investors included John Marsh, that most prolific Georgian composer, who was also chapel warden until his death. Keeping the "business" afloat up to its closure in 1973 proved to be a constant struggle, as this very entertaining new narrative account reveals. The Black Friars' monastery had occupied an important site in the south-east of the city which became the grounds of a large mansion house. In the early 19th century it came into the possession of Major General John Gustavus Crosbie, who also owned much land to the south of Chichester and was a promoter of the Chichester Canal. In 1808 he put up the entire Black Friars site for sale by auction, intending to create a New Town of grand houses for the professional classes. To this end he put restrictive covenants in the deeds, forbidding "unpleasant trades." The New Town provided the ideal site for St. John's and many invested in both projects. Now, Alan Green has provided the first account of the history of this part of Chichester. His important new book is detailed, comprehensive, and impeccably researched. He tells the entire story of the New Town and of St John's--including architecture, construction, intrigues, personalities, and the Trustee's perpetual battle to keep the chapel open. He also explores and explains not only the people who came to live there but also the various businesses, including the Corn Exchange, which, despite Crosbie's covenants, managed to become established in Newtown.