Ebenezer Strict Baptist Chapel
| H I N C H L E Y W O O D | ||||||||
| E | 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C |
| S | 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
H |
| H | 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E |
| E | 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S |
| R | 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
N | |
| O X S H O T T | ||||||||
Historical Notes
In the period from about 1850 to 1860, a few local residents gathered together, at first in a private house, and later in an old barn, under the leadership of James Woods to worship God in accordance with the faith of the Baptist Church.
The Claygate Baptists were part of a grouping within the Baptist Church known as the Strict and Particular Baptists, as distinct from the General or Arminian Baptists who originated in Holland and represented the more moderate Calvinism of Jacobus Arminius, a seventeenth century Dutch theologian. The term 'Particular' means that Baptists of such churches believe in particular redemption rather than a form of universal redemption. 'Strict' means briefly that such Baptists practise strict communion, in other words communion confined to members of similar churches. Baptism itself is by total immersion.
This small group of Strict and Particular Baptists must have prospered, albeit in a modest way, because in 1860 James Woods built a small chapel in his garden at the junction of Coverts Road and Church Road. This was named the Ebenezer Strict Baptist Chapel, one of several favourite names for such chapels, some others being Hope, Salem, Providence and Zion. The name Ebenezer comes from I Samuel VII v12, which says:
The chapel was consecrated on 27th May 1861 with a congregation of seven by George Wyard of Deptford. Various ministers served this chapel over the years but it is not recorded whether or not all of then held pastoral office, although some of them undoubtedly did as indicated below. There were also periods when the chapel was without any minister.
W Collins 1861-1864 D Gander 1864-1867 James Woods (pastor) 1867-1890 Thomas Rush 1894-1901 LW Falkner (pastor) 1927-1933 Benjamin Strudwick (pastor) 1940-1947 Colin Dawson (pastor) 1962-1966
During the ministry of Mr Falkner, plans were formulated for rebuilding the chapel, but when he departed to take over the ministry of a Baptist church near Birmingham, it was decided not to proceed with the project, but instead to put the existing building in good repair and to make certain alterations. However, by 1976 the chapel had once again fallen into disrepair to the point where it was no longer considered safe for the holding of services within it. This was one of the reasons why it was decided to amalgamate with the Evangelical Church in Common Road.
The old chapel was then owned by a trust comprising individual Baptists from similar churches, but and adjacent hall used as a Sunday school.
References
- Peebles, Malcolm (1983). The Claygate Book. (Millennium edition). Stockbridge: by BAS Printers Ltd. ISBN 0-9508978-0-9.
- Many thanks also for the photos, many supplied by Terry Gale, from the Claygate Local History Facebook group.
