OLD DEVONPORT . UK
www.olddevonport.uk
 

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HADDINGTON ROAD BIBLE CHRISTIAN CHAPEL

The Haddington Road Bible Christian Chapel was located on the south side of Haddington Road between Ross Street and Garden Street.  

In the summer of 1864 the memorial stone was laid.  The Chapel was opened on Good Friday, April 14th 1865 and cost £1,453.  It was designed by Mr J P Saint Aubyn and constructed by Mr W P Turner of Trafalgar Row, Stoke, Devonport.  Graining, which attracted much interest and comment, was executed by Mr Cole of Plymouth.

The building has an entrance portico supported by two massive fluted pillars.  The body of the Chapel is screened off by a transparent partition of fluted glass.  It had a platform, which made the Chapel useful for holding meetings and saved the expense and inconvenience of having to erect temporary platforms.  The front of the platform was highly embellished.  Behind the pulpit, in a recess, were the seats for the choir and a new and powerful harmonium built by Mr Guest of Exeter.  It cost £25.  There was a spacious gallery and comfortable seating for 500. 

Mr Venning, of Exeter, supplied the gas-fittings.  The lights for the platform were on highly ornamented brackets and comprised fifteen jets with globular reflectors.  The other lights were bat-wing burners on exceedingly massive pillars.

Adjoining the Chapel was a vestry and a school-room for 200 children.

On the opening day sermons were preached by Mr J Thorn in the morning and Mr James Way in the afternoon.

During the Blitz of 1941 no fewer than eight Methodist chapels were destroyed in the Devonport Circuit.  The organ at the Haddington Road Chapel was the only one to be saved and it was installed in December 1941 at the Elburton Methodist Chapel.