Former Old Independent Chapel

WARE TOWN

TL3514SE CHURCH STREET 829-1/9/52 (North side) 13/10/74 No.19 Former Old Independent Chapel (Formerly Listed as: CHURCH STREET No.19 Auction Rooms)

II

Chapel, now subdivided as printing works and offices. 1778, altered mid C19. Dark red brick with both stone dressings and quoins, old tiled roofs, hipped. 2 span at rear, but with single hip roof at front, and bands of fish-scale tiles. Brick dentil cornice. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys, ground floor has central entrance with mid C19 Neo-Norman arched surround with colonnettes and zig zag ornament. Above is stone panel, C19, with recessed quartrefoil bearing date of original construction, 1778. Arched windows with glazing bars and quoin surrounds, and zig zag ornament to intrados, left and right of entrance, 3 similar windows on first floor. Unaltered east and west elevations have tall sash windows, with glazing bars beneath segmental arches; at rear there are 2 arched windows, with Gothic tracery. INTERIOR: now altered. HISTORICAL NOTE: built as Independent Chapel, first Minister, William Goodwin, a radical writer, who became father-in-law to the poet Shelley. Front of building altered after 1859, in response to rebuilding of High Street Congregational Church in Leaside (qv). The Old Independent Chapel closed in 1918, and was subsequently used as a church hall, Masonic Hall, United Services Club, auction room and printing works. (Edwards E and Perman D: Ware's Past In Pictures: Ware: 1991-: 124-5; Lavender S: Churches, Chapels and Faiths of Ware: Ware: 1989-: 39; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N (rev. Cherry B): Hertfordshire: Harmondsworth: 1977-: 381; Ware Tithe Map: 1845-; Ware 25" to 1 Mile. Surveyed by the Ordnance Survey Department: 1851-).

Listing NGR: TL3576414472