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DRIFFIELD CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH |
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History of the Congregational Church in Driffield |
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Church records tell us of a small group of believers responding to the ministry of the Rev. M. Jesse who was a curate at Hutton Cranswick in 1767. Around 1800 they were joined by a few other pious persons who joined together for worship in a barn and then a room over a shop in New Road, part of which is now called Exchange Street. They covenanted to form a church and registered as Independents in 1801 inviting a Mr. Pickering to be their pastor. It was at this time that they decided to build a chapel on the south side of Providence Place which was dedicated on 12th April 1803. As this is the first definite date in the church's history it is the one we celebrate for our Anniversary. The Providence Chapel, as it was called, measured 42ft by 32ft and cost £440-5s-0d. In 1819 a gallery was added to increase the capacity of the church but even so it is hard to visualize a seating capacity of 350 although 230 people were recorded in a church census of 1851 plus 59 children. A Sunday School was built behind the church in 1846 and a new Sunday School building was erected in 1863 just east of the beck and was known as New Road Chapel. This part of the road is now called Exchange Street and the building is known as Market House, housing flats and the Access Centre. The church continued to grow and a new Providence Chapel, later the Congregational Church was opened on June 24th 1867. It extended further back than at present both on the ground floor and in the balcony and the present organ was also installed. The Rev. R.F. Bracey maintained an exceptional pastorate from 1885 until 1917, and in this he knew the support of several long serving deacons. The Screen that separates the church and vestibule was erected in memory of those men who died in the First World War. The Church declined in the 1930's and closure was mooted in 1942 but it continued although without a minister for the next six years. It obviously made some progress for in 1969 the church was renovated and redecorated although the Sunday School building had been sold and a schoolroom built at the back of the balcony. The millennium saw the Congregational Church covenanting with others to form Churches Together in Driffield. The present minister, Rev Ian Jones was inducted in November 2002 and a new entrance and toilet both suitable for the disabled were made in 2004. A Flower Festival From Slavery to Freedom in 2007 celebrated the work of William Wilberforce. There is still a mystery as to where the original Providence Chapel was situated and another mystery is why the church does not appear on certain maps of Driffield!
Based on work by Jim Archer 2003 |
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The congregational church after the great flood of Driffield in 1910 |
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The congregational church (left) in 1935 , for the silver jubilee. |
