Midland Churches: A History of the Congregations on - General ...

(fo whom your circuZa7ar is addressed) has o?zZy a short fime sznce <strong>of</strong>liated at
Afhcrstone, and has no register book.
Josejh MOYYZS,
Trustee <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Presbyterian Chapel,
A<strong>the</strong>rstone.*
Since 1836 <strong>the</strong> minister, first <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Great Meeting, Hinckley, and next
<strong>of</strong> Cole Hill, Tamworth, has also been <strong>the</strong> minister <strong>of</strong> this society.
John Sheffield was-
born at Ibstock, Leicestershire, about 1654. His fa<strong>the</strong>r, Wm. Sheffield, M.A.,
<strong>of</strong> Trinity College, Cambridge, was rector <strong>of</strong> Ibstock from 1644 to 1662,
sustained a discussion with Samuel, fa<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> Titus Oates, and died at
Kibworth, Leicestershire, in 1673. Sheffield, after passing through Kibworth
grammar school, was put to trade ; but his bent was to <strong>the</strong> ministry, for
which he studied under John Shuttlewood (1632-1689), following his tutor from
one hiding place to ano<strong>the</strong>r. On 27 September, 1682, he was ordained by
Shuttlewood, and three o<strong>the</strong>r ejected ministers. He began his ministry as
chaplain to Mrs. Palmer, at Temple Hall, Leicestershire, where a small
meeting-house was built for him, and ano<strong>the</strong>r at A<strong>the</strong>rstone, Warwickshire
(probably in 1689). In 1697 he succeeded Nathaniel Vincent as pastor <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> Presbyterian congregation in St. Thomas Street, Southwark. He was
a friend <strong>of</strong> Locke, who admired his exegetical powers. In <strong>the</strong> Salters' Hall
debates <strong>of</strong> 1719, he went with <strong>the</strong> non-subscribers. He died on 24 January,
1726, aged 72. He published a tract on salvation, and a sermon (1705).
His son William was dissenting minister at Buckingham, Windsor (1715-26),
and Haverhill, Essex.t
The Temple Hall meeting-house in which Sheffield, and, after him,
Benjamin Bennet (1674-1726, ord. in Oldbury Chapel, 30 May, 1699, min.
Temple Hall 1697- I 703, Newcastle-on-Tyne I 703- I 726, author <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Irenicunt
1722), Richard Wright, and o<strong>the</strong>rs ministered is alluded to, without doubt
in <strong>the</strong> Ebur Bro<strong>the</strong>rs, when <strong>the</strong> writer says :-
Besides his pastoral duties at Roadby [A<strong>the</strong>rstone], Richard had charge <strong>of</strong>
ano<strong>the</strong>r small congregation, several miles <strong>of</strong>f, in <strong>the</strong> neighbouring county
<strong>of</strong> Fenshire [Leicestershire.] To this secluded meeting-house, I suppose, he
had to walk on Sunday afternoons along <strong>the</strong> quiet fen lanes, until such time
as he was able to keep a horse. The building to (sic) which he preached
"The deed <strong>of</strong> 4 May, 1833, by which it is required that when <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> trustees
is reduced to two, fresh ones shall be appointed, <strong>the</strong> teacher or preacher acting with
<strong>the</strong> trustees-mentions <strong>the</strong> names <strong>of</strong> Beale <strong>of</strong> Aston, Beale <strong>of</strong> Birmingham, Estlin Grundy
<strong>of</strong> Drayton, Lakin <strong>of</strong> Worcester, Morris <strong>of</strong> Burton-on-Trent, and o<strong>the</strong>rs.
fDic. Nat. Biog. article by A.G.
still L1883 stands, in a solitary rural spot, but has long been diverted to
o<strong>the</strong>r purposes, and <strong>the</strong> congregation dispersed. I have seen an old man
who remembered it in use. About seventy years ago, <strong>the</strong> landlord's agent
borrowed <strong>of</strong> my informant a pl~ugh~iron, broke open <strong>the</strong> door, and took
possession. The place was turned into a game-keeper's lodge, and has since
been cut into two cottages. At <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> first alteration, <strong>the</strong> workmen
built in <strong>the</strong> pulpit Bible when <strong>the</strong>y walled up one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> windows.
The history <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> place is that <strong>the</strong> first Presbyterian Minister [John Sheffield]
<strong>of</strong> Roadby [A<strong>the</strong>rstone] was chaplain to a great lady [Mrs. Palmer] who
had an estate in those parts, and <strong>the</strong> country meeting-house was for <strong>the</strong>
accomn~odation <strong>of</strong> her tenantry. Some great men <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Presbyterian
denomination have ministered here Benjamin Bennet <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rrenicutn, and
Lemuel Latharn. But it dropped into a mere appendage to Roadby [A<strong>the</strong>rstone,]
and when <strong>the</strong> endowment was lost by <strong>the</strong> negligence <strong>of</strong> a trustee,
it seemed to be worth no one's while to keep up <strong>the</strong> place. The cr<strong>of</strong>t
behind <strong>the</strong> two cottages is still E1883 ?I known as <strong>the</strong> Meeting-house Yard.
Christopher Smalley, who was ordained on 16 September, 1708, re-
moved in 1722 to Chesterfield, where he succeeded John Thomas, <strong>the</strong>
intimate friend and minister <strong>of</strong> Secker, who afterwards conformed and
became ultimately Archbishop <strong>of</strong> Canterbury ; but who in his youth was
a student for <strong>the</strong> ministry at Timothy Jollie's academy at Attercliffe, and
occasionally supplied at Bolsover meeting-house in <strong>the</strong> vacations. Smalley*
was buried in <strong>the</strong> chancel <strong>of</strong> Chesterfield Church, adjoining his predecessor ;
a stone <strong>the</strong>re bears this inscription :-
Here lies <strong>the</strong> body <strong>of</strong> ye Rev. Mr. Christopher Smalley, who departed this
life <strong>the</strong> 8th <strong>of</strong> February, 1743, aged 61 years.
Smalley's baptismal register, which he began to keep at A<strong>the</strong>rstone,
and carried with him to Chesterfield, whence it was sent to Somerset House,
where <strong>the</strong> author saw it in July, 1898, gives us <strong>the</strong> names <strong>of</strong> probably all
his children. Samuel was born at A<strong>the</strong>rstone on 9 April, 1721, bei~g Easter,
and was baptized by hisfn<strong>the</strong>r on rr May, ~721. O<strong>the</strong>rs born in Chesterfield
were baptized by Flefcher <strong>of</strong> Hull, and by Heywood <strong>of</strong> DronJfeld.
Z
John Reynold's ministry was <strong>the</strong> longest <strong>of</strong> any here, extending froin
1722 to 1756. No particulars <strong>of</strong> it seem to have been preserved, unless
<strong>the</strong>re be any in his memoirs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> life <strong>of</strong> his uncle, <strong>the</strong>-
late pious and learned Mr. John Reynolds
<strong>of</strong> Shrewsbury, a copy <strong>of</strong> which <strong>the</strong> author has not yet been able to find.
"He was a man much beloved for his pleasant conversation, <strong>of</strong> a good life, but
no admired preacher.-Diary <strong>of</strong> Rev. James Clegg, M.D., 1899, p. 78.