A Joint Conference of the Ecclesiological Society and the Chapels Society

A Joint Conference of The Ecclesiological Society and The Chapels Society

Saturday 28th September 2024, 10.00 - 17.00

Competing Churches and Chapels, 1829–1939

This event will be an in-person event only. Apologies to those who are not able to attend. After exploring various venues and IT options, we have concluded that hybrid events are not yet workable for a society of our size with our financial resources. The event will also not be recorded.

The 1829 Catholic Emancipation Act marked a major stage in the liberalisation of religious policy in the United Kingdom of Britain and Ireland. For the first time, Christian dissenters, both Roman Catholic and Protestant, were able openly to worship according to their beliefs and consciences, without incurring social or political disabilities. The following century witnessed the proliferation of places of worship as different denominations came out of the shadows, sought to accommodate existing congregations and attempted to cater for a rapidly increasing population. Denominations, and even some branches of single Churches, were in competition for members and used their buildings both to make their presence felt and to differentiate themselves from their rivals. This conference will explore some of the manifestations of this phenomenon in England, Wales and Ireland, and, in so doing, will open a window into a religious culture radically different from that of present-day inter-denominational co-operation and sharing of premises.

Conference programme

09.30 Coffee

10.00 Welcome

10.10 Building for the Emerging Market in Religion Paul Barnwell (University of Oxford)

11.00 Free Trade, Competition, or Professional Amour Propre? A Chapel Perspective Clyde Binfield (University of Sheffield)

11.50 Coffee

12.10 Chapels in Wales Dr Christian Williams (Welsh Baptist Union)

13.00 Lunch

14.00 Citius, Altius, Fortius: Post-Emancipation Catholic Church-building in the North of England Stephen Withnell (University of Oxford)

14.50 ‘Cultivating the Beautiful Quite as Much as the Churchmen Themselves’ – Design and Identity in Nineteenth-Century Irish Ecclesiastical Architecture Niamh NicGhabhann (University of Limerick)

15.40 Tea

16.00 Mission to the 'Godless suburbs': The Church of England and Inter-Denominational Rivalry in Interwar Church Building Clare Price (Church of England)

16.50 Close

We will not be serving wine at the end of the day this year, however, we do intend to retire to a local hostelry to review the day and we hope you will be able to join us.

Practical details

The event is being held at the St Albans Centre, Leigh Place, Baldwin's Gardens, London EC1N 7AB Access to the Centre is step free and is from Baldwin's Gardens behind St Albans Church.

https://www.conferences-uk.org.uk/venue/st-albans-centre and https://www.stalbansholborn.co.uk/find-us

T he venue is fully accessible. The toilets are downstairs, but there is a lift.

The nearest tube station is Chancery Lane (look for Exit 2), but it is also near Farringdon, both for tube and rail. They are well-served by bus routes, and numbers 8, 17, 25, 46, 59, 521 all stop on Holborn itself.

Attendance fee

The costs for those attending in person (including refreshments and lunch) are

£55 for member of Chapels Society and EcclSoc and their guests

£65 non-members

We would prefer it, if you book using Eventbrite, but if you wish to pay by cheque, it is no problem, please email [email protected] for details

Refund policy

We will offer a full refund of the ticket price up to 7 days before the event. However, we will not be able to give a refund for any travel arrangements you have made.

The photograph is of Mill Hill Unitarian Chapel, Leeds

Host or Publisher The Ecclesiological Society