Proprietary chapel

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A proprietary chapel is a chapel that originally belonged to a private person, but with the intention that it would be open to the public, rather than restricted (as with private chapels in the stricter sense) to members of a family or household, or members of an institution. Generally, however, some of the seating—sometimes a substantial proportion—would be reserved for subscribers.[1]

St John's Downshire Hill, Hampstead

Background edit

In 19th-century Britain they were common, often being built to cope with urbanisation. Frequently they were set up by evangelical philanthropists with a vision of spreading Christianity in cities whose needs could no longer be met by the parishes. Some functioned more privately, with a wealthy person building a chapel so they could invite their favourite preachers.[2] They are anomalies in English ecclesiastical law, having no parish area, but being able to have an Anglican clergyman licensed there.

During the first half of the nineteenth century "proprietary" chapels flourished in Belgravia, Bath, and other fashionable resorts. They were extra-parochial, and were often run on a commercial basis, supported by pew-rents and sometimes built over wine vaults ... An ingratiating preacher, preferably an invalid ..., a well-nourished verger, and genteel pew-openers did their best to attract the quality ... An advertisement from the Times (1852) gives a good idea of the "ethos" of the proprietary chapel "A young man of family, evangelically disposed, and to whom salary is no object, may hear of a cure in a fashionable West End congregation by addressing the Reverend A.M.O. at Hatchards, Booksellers, Piccadilly."[3]

Historically a number of Anglican churches were proprietary chapels. Over the years, many were converted into normal parishes (for example Redland Parish Church in Bristol), but some remain as functioning proprietary chapels. Those chapels which though extant no longer consider themselves to be part of the Church of England are listed under "Former proprietary chapels".[4][5]

Current proprietary chapels edit

Former proprietary chapels edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ See the further discussion of this in St John the Evangelist's Church, Chichester.
  2. ^ St James' Church Archived 9 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine; Church Society
  3. ^ Drummond, Andrew L. (1950). The Churches in English Fiction. Leicester: Edgar Backus. pp. 30–31.
  4. ^ Livingstone, E. A. LivingstoneE A. (2006). "proprietary chapel". The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-861442-5.
  5. ^ Cross, F. L. CrossF L.; Livingstone, E. A. LivingstoneE A. (1 January 2009). "proprietary chapel". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3.
  6. ^ "Wimbledon, Emmanuel (Proprietary Chapel)". The Diocese of Southwark. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b "About the church - St James's Church, Avonwick". www.avonwickchurch.co.uk. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  8. ^ "St Johns Church, Downshire Hill". Archived from the original on 21 December 2003. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  9. ^ "St Peter in Ely". St Peter in Ely. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  10. ^ "Christ Church, Bath". Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  11. ^ "St James's Church, Ryde". Archived from the original on 11 January 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  12. ^ "St. James's Church, Ryde". Anglican Mission in England. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  13. ^ "St. Mary's Church, Reading". Archived from the original on 5 August 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  14. ^ "St. John's Chapel, Chichester". Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  15. ^ "St Ninian's, Whitby". Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  16. ^ "Roman Catholic Church of England and Wales". Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  17. ^ Edward Walford. 'Hanover Square and neighbourhood', in Old and New London: Volume 4 (London, 1878), pp. 314-326 British History Online. Retrieved 25 March 2023.