United Reformed Church, Portland

United Reformed Church

The United Reformed Church is a 19th-century church, located in Chiswell village, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. It was originally founded in 1825 and closed in 2009.^[1]

History

United Reformed Church

The United Reformed Church was founded in 1825 when the people of Chiswell, the oldest settlement on the island, banded together to covert a barn and stable into a place of worship. By 1827, Chiswell had to accommodate the growing congregation and as a result the first chapel was built during 1827-28, with local people contributing with labour and materials and raising £80 for the project. The Congregational Chapel was erected and enlarged by 1828.^[2] The church flourished under the guidance of the Rev JH Crump, who administered Communion when the new building was opened. The first pastor appointed to Portland was the Rev Frederick William Meadows, who was ordained in the chapel on 5 November 1828 and remained until 1831. He was instrumental in clearing the debt on the building during his ministry. The next pastor, Rev C Cannon, died in office in 1854, whilst in those years the building had become too small for the growing congregation.^[3]

As the building wasn't large enough for the local congregation, a new church opened on the same site. Rev James Cheney, described in the church records as "a remarkable, resourceful and skilful man", was the guiding light for the building that stands in Chiswell today, which was opened by 21 October 1858. All debts relating to the church were cleared by 1876 and a schoolroom and a manse was built, with the Sunday School dating 1874.^[4] The church was first known as the Independent Chapel, as well as the Union Chapel, then the Congregational Church. From 1879 to 1892, Rev W. R. Waugh was pastor of the Congregational Church. Whilst undergoing renovations starting in 1883, the church reopened in June of 1903. As reported in The Portland Year Book of 1905, two Sunday services would be held at 10:15am and 6pm, a Wednesday service at 7pm, as well a Sunday School at 10am and 2pm.^[2] It became known as the United Reformed Church in 1972.

However by the 21st century, the numbers in the congregation had dramatically dropped. A band of seven local people (Betty Burden, June Green, Bill Hart, Joan Green, Harold Collinge and Raven and Linda Scott) decided to team together in attempt to the keep the church open by dealing with administration and fund raising. Despite various attempts by the congregation to save it, the church's final service was held on 27 September 2009, conducted by the Rev Bob Damer. The small band decided to carry on with fundraising, in aid of Portland Royal British Legion, mainly by holding a monthly jumble sale in the nearby village of Fortuneswell. June Green had been quoted in a Dorset Echo article of the time, stating "We didn't want to see our church close and we are very sad." Mrs Burden added "With the lack of support, trying to continue was no longer viable."^[3] Although the building's future was uncertain, in recent times it has undergone the start of renovations.^[5]

References

Coordinates: 50°33′35″N 2°26′49″W / 50.5598°N 2.4470°W / 50.5598; -2.4470