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rock lane old Baptist church
Although Baptists were meeting record a membership of 38.
somewhere in Ludlow as early as 1812, With the pending development of
almost nothing is known of the further housing around the church, in
community before the building of the 1944 its members felt that a settled
chapel in Rock Lane. All that now pastorate was necessary. A permanent
remains of it, the commemorative stone minister was appointed and a church
that was set over the main entrance to manse purchased in Gravel Hill.
the old chapel bearing the inscription
‘Ebenezer 1868’ can now be found in As the neighbourhood became more
the sanctuary of the present church in densely populated during the 1970s and
nearby Sandford Road, as it awaits 80s, the old chapel building became
inclusion in a new porch entrance at more and more a target for local
some future date. vandals. As its problems increased,
however, a new
The earliest mention of opportunity came
the chapel is of a forward to the
‘Record of Belief’ of the congregation through
Church based on Baptist the former South
principles and dated 24 Shropshire District
June 1874 with the Council which, as part of
signatures of 18 an emphasis for change
members. on the then depressed
In 1877 the premises were transferred estate surrounding the old church, asked
from the ownership of the incumbent the membership to consider being
minister to a board of trustees carrying incorporated into a new community
out the wishes of the church's principal centre building (and its work) that they
beneficiary, a Mrs Ann Bennet, to place were considering for the Sandpits estate.
the chapel in trust for ‘the use of Initial building and contractual problems
Christians in public worship’ who held caused some delay and due to continued
the belief in adult baptism by immersion. vandalism and safety concerns the old
On 16 June 1880 a foundation stone building was boarded up and abandoned
was laid for a new adjacent schoolroom for worship. The small but growing
to accommodate 100 scholars. The day membership used a local school for
started at 6.30am with an hour’s prayer worship until moving into their new and
meeting and included convert baptism present sanctuary, at the combined
services and a public tea. Speakers came centre, in October 1994. The old chapel
from as far afield as Chester. was demolished and the site handed
In 1937 the Sandpits housing estate over to the council in December 1994.
began to be developed around the It is now occupied by 'The Codfather'
church and a further schoolroom was fish and chip shop.
added. By 1938 the church was able to Nick Ford
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