The first Bible Christian chapel in Wellington, Shropshire, was opened on New Year’s Eve 1848, as is described by R. Sedwell in the attached account. The congregation had obtained a piece of land on the outskirts of the town, on which they had erected a building 45 feet by 20 feet, but had room for expansion and for two cottages. Whether these were for a minister, or to provide a rental income we are not told.
We are told that the membership was 50, but not the seating accommodation. Forty years later the Ordnance Survey kindly supply a figure of 170.
The attendances on March 30th 1851 were 17 in the morning, 130 in the afternoon and 80 in the evening. The chapel did good service until 1899, when the Wellington Bible Christians moved into a new chapel on the other side of town (Waterloo Road) which could accommodate 300.
The account of the opening is very full. Our forebears clearly possessed stamina, as there was something happening in the new chapel for seventeen hours of New Year’s Eve. The chapel tea was provided on the following afternoon. It is a very good account of how the cause developed, and full of observations on the ebb and flow of denominational affiliations. R. Sedwell also includes some strong comments on the importance of registering the building for nonconformist worship. This was still obligatory in 1849.
Sources
Bible Christian Magazine for 1849 pp113-115
The National Archives HO129/134/26
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