In June 1843, 65 members of Paul’s Meeting Church , Taunton broke away to form a new church. A site, formerly Whitmarsh’s wagon yard was purchased, hidden behind North Street , large enough to include a church, schoolrooms and possibly a cemetery, for £1,000. Architect and builder, Mr Samuel Pollard built the church at cost price of labour and materials for £1,500. The exterior was in the C12 Gothic style and the interior a four bay aisled nave with openwork wooden roofing, a fine Bath stone pulpit and oak pews. Mrs Thompson of Poundisford Park laid the foundation stone on 10th August 1843 and Rev Henry Quick was the first minister.
The deacons and minister were anxious to open the buildings free of debt. After the first services held in the now completed church on 11th June 1844, all the money had been pledged by 9.30pm. Such was the size of the congregation, that, despite extra seats, an outdoor service was conducted for the crowd outside.
Schools, Bible classrooms and a vestry were built next, again at cost price, and the foundation stone for these was laid on 8th May 1845, the buildings to be completed by November. They were used for:
- Bible classes for 60 young members,
- Children’s classes for 160 children,
- Infant school for 100,
- Adult classes for 120.
By 1859, such was the success of the teaching and the need for it, that the school outgrew its accommodation so was enlarged, again free from debt, and a library, evening school and sick visiting society were established. In the 1870s, the school buildings were further enlarged and a Chapel Keeper’s House was built.
The church itself was overcrowded, so in August 1850 galleries were added enabling the church to accommodate 800 people. By this time, £4,900 had been raised for buildings, £3,000 for missionary work, annual salary for the minister, and funds for relieving the poor – a huge sum indeed.
By 1884, the buildings in North Street on the church site were demolished, being too dilapidated to repair, so money was raised to build a house and a shop further south [No 33 North Street] to be let for regular income, and to widen the approach to the church, opening up its present view. These buildings were sold in the 1950s to purchase a Manse at 18 Eastwick Road , which was later sold [the current Manse in Ashley Road was purchased in 1974].
An organ was installed in 1870 in the gallery opposite the pulpit. Previously the only music had been led by the choir. Seventeen years later the organ was moved from there, cleaned and repaired and put in the present position. In December 1939 a new one was installed, built by Osmonds of Taunton.
In the first hundred years North Street Congregational Church had made a huge impact in society, with its schools, Sunday schools, adult schools, lay preaching in surrounding villages, evangelism, work in the hospital, Town Mission, Soldiers’ Home, the Y.M.C.A., generous giving to missions, especially the London Missionary Society and the support of the John Williams missionary ships. Many members went on to serve in the Congregational Union, some had distinguished careers in the ministry and one founded and worked in a hospital in India .
In 1847 Congregationalists had founded the Independent School for Congregational Boys [also called The West of England Dissenters’ Proprietary School and Taunton Free Church School] and now known as Taunton School . North Street Church , along with Paul’s Meeting and Silver Street Baptist Church , raised funds to build Rowbarton Congregational Church in 1910. This stood where the present gyratory road system is near St. Andrew’s Church, and was demolished in 1971 – a plaque on the flowerbed marks the site. North Street Church was the ‘ Mother Church ’ for Bathpool, Blagdon Hill, Rowbarton and Bishop’s Hull Chapels.
Since state education became available and compulsory for all, the school buildings at North Street were no longer needed for that purpose. Also the more recent decline in Sunday school numbers resulted in the buildings becoming less used and falling into disrepair. In the early 1990s, vigorous fund-raising events took place and an ambitious project undertaken to bring the buildings into line with modern regulations. A fire escape was installed, the whole building re-wired, repaired and decorated, and the church was carpeted [replacing very shabby linoleum]. A model ship to commemorate John Williams IV missionary ship, which had sailed in 1843, was made and situated in front of the pulpit. In this, monies raised were placed for the restoration work, which was completed for the 150th anniversary in 1993. The former school buildings were rented to various charities with mutual benefits. The small building next to Whirligig Lane, now ‘Chamberlains’ was refurbished as a church charity shop, later changed to a ‘drop-in’ café and an evening cyber café for the youth. It is named after the Reverend Elsie Chamberlain, minister from 1980 to 1986, a woman ‘first’ for many things: Chaplain to the Forces, workings at the B.B.C. for 27 years presenting ‘Lift Up Your Hearts’ and ‘The Daily Service’. She was also the first woman minister in Taunton and first woman Chair of Council of the Congregational Federation.
North Street Congregational Church is a listed building, but instead of dwelling on its past alone, the church continues to play a leading role with other churches for the future of Taunton.
(Taken with kind permission from the Taunton & District Civic Society Website)