Building record 179/21/0 - Independent Chapel on Monks Lane

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ6552, 1876-1877 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

This map depicts the Independent/Congregationalist chapel.

<2> Hall J, 1883, A History of the Town and Parish of Nantwich or Wich-Malbank in the County Palatine of Chester, p.399 (Book). SCH80.

In 1780 Captain Scott and the Reverand William Armitage of Chester came to Nantwich and subsequently established a 'preaching room' in a coachmakers shop in Barker Street. An earlier chapel was built in 1801, which was superseded by a new chapel on Monk's Lane in 1842, at a cost of 2,500 pounds, with the old chapel being retained as a Sunday School.

<3> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 431245 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Dated 1841. Red brick with stone dressings; two storeys; three windows with Roman arched heads. Ground storey has central window, two moulded pilaster doorcases with cornices on consoles, stone' and three-stepped perron overall; large panelled pilasters at sides supporting pediment having stone panel inscribed with above date. No longer in use.

<4> Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME), 1994, An Inventory of Non-Conformist Chapels and Meeting Houses in the North of England, Cheshire Number 102 (Book). SCH4548.

The first chapel, built in 1801 in Church Lane, was superseded by the present building in 1842. The Church has met since 1974 in the Baptist Chapel, Market Street [CSMR 179/19/0], and proposals for the conversion of the Monk's Lane Chapel into four houses were made in 1980. The chapel contained many monuments.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1851, Nantwich Board of Health Map (Maps and Plans). SCH2431.

The chapel is depicted on this map and is labelled Independent Chapel.

<6> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 285/2 c.1846 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

This map depicts a building at this location, though it is substantially smaller than the chapel depicted on later maps.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1876, True Ten Foot Scale Town Plan of Nantwich (Maps and Plans). SCH8633.

This map depicts the chapel and some of the building's internal features. It is labelled Independent Chapel (seats for 100). The building is located on the eastern side of a trapezoidal area enclosed by a wall. To the immediate west of the building is a line of trees and a boundary. The area beyond this boundary appears to be a possible garden.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1909-1912, Ordnance Survey Second Revision County Series (Epoch 3) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ6552, 1910 (Maps and Plans). SCH4361.

A large Sunday school building has been built to the west of the chapel.

<9> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R, 06/06/2024 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

Aerial photographs suggest that the Sunday school was demolished sometime in the 1970s or early 1980s. The chapel is now housing.

<10> Hartwell C, Hyde M, Hubbard E & Pevsner N, 2011, The Buildings of England: Cheshire (2011 revision), p.495 (Book). SCH7059.

By George Latham, 1842-3.