Former Old Independent Chapel

The Former Old Independent Chapel, located on Church Street in Ware, was built in 1778 and later altered in the mid-19th century. This two-storey chapel is constructed of dark red brick, featuring stone dressings and quoins, with old tiled roofs that are hipped. The rear has a two-span roof, while the front has a single hip roof adorned with bands of fish-scale tiles. A brick dentil cornice runs along the top.

The ground floor has a central entrance framed by a mid-19th century Neo-Norman arched surround, which includes colonnettes and zigzag ornamentation. Above the entrance is a 19th-century stone panel with a recessed quartrefoil that displays the date of the chapel's original construction, 1778. On either side of the entrance, there are arched windows with glazing bars and quoin surrounds, also featuring zigzag ornamentation on the intrados. The first floor has three similar arched windows. The east and west elevations remain unaltered, showcasing tall sash windows with glazing bars beneath segmental arches. At the rear, there are two arched windows with Gothic tracery.

The interior of the building has been altered over time. Historically, it was built as an Independent Chapel, with its first minister being William Goodwin, a radical writer and father-in-law to the poet Shelley. The front of the building was modified after 1859 to respond to the rebuilding of the High Street Congregational Church in Leaside. The Old Independent Chapel closed in 1918 and has since served various purposes, including a church hall, Masonic Hall, United Services Club, auction room, and printing works.