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

him, and cheerfully declared, that he had not one uneasy thought about <strong>the</strong>
support <strong>of</strong> his family, though he had <strong>the</strong>n 10 children. The Five Miles'
Act removed him to Deddington, from whence he used to write letters every
week to his friends at Banbury, some <strong>of</strong> which were afterwards published.
He is known to have besun dissenting worship at Milton. When <strong>the</strong> times
permitted he returned to Banbury and bought a pleasant house, in which
he lived until his death. He and Mr. (afterwards Dr.) White, who was his
successor as <strong>the</strong> parish minister, had a very friendly correspondence. He
<strong>of</strong>ten heard Mr. White preach, and Mr. White sometimes privately heard
him ; and <strong>of</strong>ten used to say to him, "I pray God bless your labours in
private, and mine in public."
After <strong>the</strong> life and labours <strong>of</strong> such a man as Wells, and <strong>the</strong> Puritan
leanings <strong>of</strong> Banbury and its neighbourhood, it is not to be wondered at,
that before many years had elapsed, a nonconforming society is heard <strong>of</strong>,
as existing in Banbury. In 1709 Stephen Davies was ordained its minister,
and in 1716 <strong>the</strong> site <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> present building was bought and prepared for
public worship. Whe<strong>the</strong>r a building was <strong>the</strong>n standing on it, which was
converted to 'I-' uses <strong>of</strong> a meeting-house, or whe<strong>the</strong>r a new place was
erected, does nm seem known for a certainty. What is recorded <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
former house <strong>of</strong> worship is that Joseph Cornish, minister <strong>of</strong> George's meet-
ing, Colyton, 1772-1823, tells us in his autobiography* how he preached
on two Lord's days, in 1792, in Mr. Hampton's spaciolrs place <strong>of</strong> worship ;
in which, for many years during <strong>the</strong> rebuilding <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Banbury parish
church, <strong>the</strong> ministers and congregation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Established Church were
accommodated ; marriages, and every service being carried on <strong>the</strong>re, authorized
by an Act <strong>of</strong> Parliament.+
The hours <strong>of</strong> worship were so ordered that <strong>the</strong> different congregations
had both morning and afternoon services, and occasionally an evening
lecture. On one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> two Sundays alluded to by Cornish, he preached
three times in <strong>the</strong> Old Meeting-house, and besides <strong>the</strong> usual services, <strong>the</strong>
-1.Mr. Cobb, writing to me, so recently as August, 1897, says :-It is n curioz~s fact
that my fathy and mo<strong>the</strong>r rucre, in 1795, 71zarrieci in ozrr Old JIeefi?zg-housz, Banbzrry, under
<strong>the</strong> provisions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Act n/Iz~deii to ; aad that 7~234 wife and I were ?lttzwied in <strong>the</strong> same place,
49 years nfmards (IS& by M?-. Abah Jonzs, <strong>the</strong>n minister at Derby, tcrrder <strong>the</strong> Dissetzters'
Marviage Act ; and Oit7S briftg <strong>the</strong> $rst nmrriape celebmted <strong>the</strong>re, under that Act, 7ut weye
presented with a Bible, recorJinp <strong>the</strong> fact, by nzy wife's fa<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong> Rcv. Henry Hzrnt Piper, <strong>the</strong>rz
minister. G. E. E.
d
sacrament was administered to <strong>the</strong> members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Establishment. By
1850 this building-
had become so dilapidated as to render its removal requisite. A piece <strong>of</strong>
ground at <strong>the</strong> back <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> old building was <strong>the</strong> property <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> congrega-
tion, and upon that spot <strong>the</strong> new chapel is erected, so that <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
old building was retained until <strong>the</strong> new one was nearly ready for occupation."
The new place, known as Christ-Church, was opened, under that desig-
nation, on Friday, 16 August, 1850. Thanks to <strong>the</strong> ground at <strong>the</strong> disposal
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> society it stands some 80 yards back from <strong>the</strong> street-<strong>the</strong> Horse-
fair-and is approached by a carriage drive, through a well-wooded enclosure.
The architect was Mr. H. J. Underwood, <strong>of</strong> Oxford, who succeeded in
designing a structure, in early English style, and <strong>of</strong> singularly graceful
proportions. It consists <strong>of</strong> nave and chancel, a south aisle, and vestry.
In <strong>the</strong> chancel, under <strong>the</strong> window <strong>of</strong> three lights, <strong>the</strong> centre one <strong>of</strong> which
contains a ruby-coloured cross, is a reredos <strong>of</strong> seven arches, with stone
mouldings and columns <strong>of</strong> a very graceful character. On <strong>the</strong> north wall
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> chancel is placed <strong>the</strong> tablet to <strong>the</strong> memory <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Rev. George
Hampton, M.A., removed from <strong>the</strong> Old Meeting-house. The summit <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> gable over <strong>the</strong> main entrance is surmounted with a stone cross. An
engraving <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> new building was given with <strong>the</strong> Christian LPefarmer, Sep-
tember, 1850. The sermon, at <strong>the</strong> opening service, was preached by Charles
Wicksteed, B.A., from Psalm cxxii., I.-" I was glad when <strong>the</strong>y said unto
me, Let us gojnto <strong>the</strong> house <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Lord." The dedication prayer was
<strong>of</strong>fered by Mr. Piper, and <strong>the</strong> lessons read by Edward Taggart, F.S.A.,
minister, 1828-1858, at Little Portland Street, London.?
*Of <strong>the</strong> ministers who preached occasionally in <strong>the</strong> Old Meeting-house, Mr. Cobb
writes (1898) that he believes on+ two now sumive, <strong>the</strong> h. Thonzas Lethbl-idge Afarshall,
living in ?*eti7*er?zntt i7z Sidttzozrth, who, zclhelz 71zi~zister at Warzoic/L., rrsui to exchn7z,ne ju@its with
Afi*. P$er ; nud j ozrr fa<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong> Rm. Dnvid Le7uis Ezlnns, at. 86, now living in 9-eti?*ement
at Llanyby<strong>the</strong>)*, S. Lt.'., who, zuhrst nrilrister (1840-1o9qz) <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> B oxhnnz and Maon Chapels,
used to exchafye with <strong>the</strong> Rev. C. B. Nzrbbard, <strong>the</strong>?z nzinister at Banbz~ry. G.E.E.
+At <strong>the</strong> evening meeting Mr. Taggart, alluding to <strong>the</strong> building as " chaste, simple,
and perfect in all its parts and arrangements," said he remembered an anecdote <strong>of</strong> a
royal personage in connection with <strong>the</strong> chapel at Brighton, which was near <strong>the</strong> Pavilion,
and was remarkable for a very beautiful Grecian portico. The monarch one day asked
for what use <strong>the</strong> edifice was designed. He was told that it was a Unitarian Chapel.
And his reply was :-"Ah ! simple and elegant, like <strong>the</strong>ir religion." It was not <strong>of</strong>ten
<strong>the</strong>y were complimented by persons occupying a royal and kingly station.
P. 538.
Inq., 1850,