Bispham United Reformed Church
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The nonconformist tradition in Bispham
appears to go back to the 17th century .
Minutes of a meeting from 1699 talk of the
“choice of a minister to serve Bispham in the
room of Mr Dickenson for the present”. Mr
Dickenson was apparently a cobbler.
By 1819 Congregationalists had established a
presence in the village and were meeting in a
barn. “This barn, which was opened in the
latter end of May, continues to be well
attended” reports a meeting held in Preston in
1819.
By 1834 the congregation was big enough to
build a church and the Bethel Chapel was
opened in Bispham. This seems to have had a
troubled history and was closed for some 8 to
10 years around 1850. At the time the chapel
was described as “dirty and uncomfortable”.
However the church overcame these
problems and by the end of the century was a
thriving community. By the 1910's the
congregation had outgrown the Bethel Chapel
and a new church was opened in 1912 which
is still in use today.
The church buildings were enlarged in 1936
with the opening of the Sunday School hall and
the church itself was extended in 1954 to
cater for the increased size of the
congregation.
appears to go back to the 17th century .
Minutes of a meeting from 1699 talk of the
“choice of a minister to serve Bispham in the
room of Mr Dickenson for the present”. Mr
Dickenson was apparently a cobbler.
By 1819 Congregationalists had established a
presence in the village and were meeting in a
barn. “This barn, which was opened in the
latter end of May, continues to be well
attended” reports a meeting held in Preston in
1819.
By 1834 the congregation was big enough to
build a church and the Bethel Chapel was
opened in Bispham. This seems to have had a
troubled history and was closed for some 8 to
10 years around 1850. At the time the chapel
was described as “dirty and uncomfortable”.
However the church overcame these
problems and by the end of the century was a
thriving community. By the 1910's the
congregation had outgrown the Bethel Chapel
and a new church was opened in 1912 which
is still in use today.
The church buildings were enlarged in 1936
with the opening of the Sunday School hall and
the church itself was extended in 1954 to
cater for the increased size of the
congregation.
| Harvest Thanksgiving at the Bethel Chapel in 1911 |
| The final meeting at the Bethel Chapel in February 1912 |
