Our Story

A brief history of The Old Chapel Centre, Alfriston, East Sussex

Pre 1801
black and white image of a minister in the pulpit at the old chapel centre alfriston
Pre 1801

Formerly the Alfriston Congregational Church, the building is a living memorial to the early nonconformists of Alfriston. Before 1801 a group of them had already broken away from the established church and were holding their meetings in a house known as the Urn, in North Street.

1801
1801

A travelling preacher from Heathfield called George Gilbert, addressed the villagers from the steps of the old Market Cross and inspired the group of dissenters in 1801 to build themselves a proper church. Money, time and labour were all freely provided and the church was completed in the same year. Four walls, a slate roof, a few windows, and whitewash, and all was ready. The church which was known as the Independent Church of Christ at Alfriston was opened for worship on 2nd August 1801.

1809
blue front door of the old chapel centre alfriston
1809

The next significant date in the church’s history is 21st May 1809. On that date a certain Charles Brooker became a member of the church and a cause of discord with the then ordained minister, Mr George Betts. One Sunday, a disagreement between the men led to Mr Betts arriving to take service as usual when he found another Preacher, Mr Sands, already in place, arranged by Mr Brooker. Mr Betts quietly took a seat in the family pew but Stanton Collins, a local man, and his friends, heard what happened and rushed to the church to order Mr Sands to stand down. A struggle took place during which they forcibly ejected him, breaking the balustrades of the pulpit in the scramble.

1900s
1900s

In the 1900s the church joined with the Pevensey Road Congregational Church, Eastbourne. In 1929 this connection was broken and in 1936 it became attached to Seaford Congregational Church. In 1939 the minister was the Reverend G.W. Cameron Price, and it is recorded that at this time Alfriston Congregational Church became independent of other churches.

1972
1972

On 5th October 1972, in line with the majority of our churches within the Congregational Church of England and Wales, we entered into union with the Presbyterian Church of England to form the United Reformed Church.

Our evolving building
Our Evolving Building

Between 1834 and 1837, additions were made to the interior of the church. They included the gallery, supported by pillars which were formerly ships masts, gallery steps and a pulpit to replace the earlier damaged one. In 1909 another pulpit and rostrum were built but this was found to be unsafe until it was put into good order in 1921. In 1954 the pulpit was said to be “rotting away” and a few years later the present pulpit was built.

Essential work
stained glass window at the old chapel centre alfriston
Essential work

In the years to follow additions have included the rostrum chairs, the stained-glass windows, the reading desk, new lighting and more recently, the much appreciated central heating. Since 1969 all money raising efforts and hard work by the congregation and Friends of the Church have enabled essential repair work and redecoration to be carried out

Our new phase
back view of a man playing the organ at the old chapel centre alfriston
Our new phase

Thanks to the recent improvement works the Church is now experiencing a new phase in its history and is finding a variety of ways to serve the community whilst maintaining a link with the past. Its importance as a spiritual centre, and a presence in the community, should not be forgotten and we are grateful to all those who use and enjoy the building and contribute to its upkeep.

Contributions by R. M. Boyd 1979

C R Adcock 2013
The Old Chapel Centre