Plymouth, Presbyterian Chapels, Wyndham Street

PLYMOUTH
DATA

The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ENGLAND

WYNDHAM STREET, PLYMOUTH

The Presbyterian Chapel in Plymouth was located in Wyndham Street.

With the iron chapel failing to meet the needs of an ever increasing congregation, the decision was taken to erect a larger, more impressive and more permanent place for worship.

This time the Government were a bit more supportive and the War Office subscribed £500 and the Admiralty gave £400 towards the cost.

Mr John L Hodge, of George Street, Plymouth, was engaged to provide the plans (it was his first important assignment) and Mr Walter Lethbridge, also of Plymouth, did the construction work. The cost was £6,000.

On Monday August 10th 1868 Captain Hutchinson, Royal Navy, laid the memorial stone.

The new Italian style edifice was built over the top of the existing iron chapel until it was totally encased. The old building was only removed when it was absolutely necessary. The front was constructed of Blue limestone, relieved with white limestone, apparently from the Pomphlet and West Hoe quarries, while the entrance was of Portland stone. The cornices and pilasters were of Portland cement.

The Chapel was approximately 85 feet in length by 58 feet in width and reaching a height of 42 feet to the ceiling.

Internally, chocolate coloured pillars supported galleries around three sides of the chapel, each adorned with neatly finished iron railings with gilded bases and caps. To assist the acoustics the roof was lined with match boarding itself lined with whitened canvas. The internal fittings were of stained and varnished deal.

In the basement were four school rooms for the accommodation of around 700 children.

The new Chapel was opened and dedicated at 11.30am on Wednesday September 1st 1869, when the sermon was preached by the Reverend Doctor J McFarlane, of London. Some £40 6s was collected during the service. In the evening a dinner was held in the schoolroom, at which Captain Hutchinson, RN, presided. The Reverend Joseph Wood was the minister and he was also acting chaplain to the armed forces.

Unfortunately the building caught fire in the early hours of Sunday December 10th 1882. Read More about how the Presbyterian Chapel fire was tackled..........

The Chapel was quickly rebuilt and re-dedicated on March 16th 1884.

Prior to the Second World War the congregation decided that a new church was required and a site was found at Hartley, in Torr Lane. The Wyndham Street Chapel closed in 1936 and the congregation moved to temporary premises next to the Mutley Constitutional Club on Mutley Plain.

The foundation stone for the new building was laid in September 1937 and on March 17th (St Patrick's Day) the following year it was dedicated to The Name of the Blessed Trinity.