Horsham Unitarian Church
Horsham Unitarian Church (formerly Horsham General Baptist Chapel) is a Unitarian chapel in Horsham in the English county of West Sussex. It was founded in 1719 to serve the large Baptist population of the ancient market town of Horsham—home of radical preacher Matthew Caffyn—and the surrounding area. The chapel's congregation moved towards Unitarian beliefs in the 19th century, but the simple brick building continued to serve worshippers drawn from a wide area of Sussex. It is one of several places of worship which continue to represent Horsham's centuries-old tradition of Protestant Nonconformism, and is the town's second oldest surviving religious building—only St Mary's, the parish church, predates it. English Heritage has listed the chapel at Grade II for its architectural and historical importance.
Horsham Unitarian Church | |
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The chapel from the east | |
Location of the chapel within West Sussex | |
51.0629°N 0.3334°W | |
Location | Worthing Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1SL |
Country | United Kingdom |
Denomination | Unitarian |
Previous denomination | General Baptist |
Website | www.ukunitarians.org.uk/horsham/ |
History | |
Former name(s) | Horsham General Baptist Chapel |
Status | Chapel |
Founded | 1719 |
Founder(s) | Matthew Caffyn (congregation); John Dendy and John Greeve (present building) |
Architecture | |
Functional status | Active |
Heritage designation | Grade II |
Designated | 20 May 1949 |
Style | Vernacular |
Groundbreaking | 1720 |
Completed | 1721 |