Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Unitarian Church
Hob Uid: 68179
Location : Shropshire Shrewsbury
Grid Ref : SJ4919512439
Summary : The Unitarian Church, Shrewsbury, was founded in 1662 and the first meeting house was built at the present site in 1691. This was destroyed by a mob and subsequently rebuilt in 1715. In 1839-40 the chapel was almost entirely rebuilt and a new façade was added in 1885. The chapel is built of brick and faced with ashlar and its 1885 front has three bays which are divided by pilasters. The central entranceway is flanked by round-arched windows and inside there are various decorative features dating to the 18th century.Charles Darwin was taken there to worship until his mother died in 1817 and he is commemorated with a plaque and a stone memorial. Samuel Coleridge preached here in 1798.
More information : [Marginal] Unitarian Church, High Street, Shrewsbury, is on the site of a meeting house which was extant in 1691, and which was pulled down by a mob in 1715. (1) The Unitarian Church is at SJ 4919 1244 (2) Shrewsbury High Street Chapel. The Presbyterian congregation was in existence from 1673 and the first meeting house was built at the present site in 1691. Destroyed in 1715 it was subsequently rebuilt. In 1839-40 the meeting-house was almost completely rebuilt and the front of the chapel was added to in 1885. It has brick walls and the front is faced with ashlar. The front added in 1885 has three bays with tall pilasters with a central entrance way and round-arched upper windows. It has various 18th century panelling and other features and there is a memorial to Charles Darwin (1882). (3) Unitarian church. Built 1839-40 with the facade added in 1885. It is ashlar faced and has three bays which are divided by pilasters. There are central pedimented double doors which are flanked by round-arched windows with a round-arched window above. The building has a deep cornice with central pedimented cartouche with the inscription: "The Church founded 1662". The interior of the church has a lobby and vestry which were added to the front of the earlier chapel. This has a north-east gallery with an early 18th century panelled front and dado panelling with a central pulpit to the south-west. (4) The Unitarian Chapel, Shrewsbury. Darwin was taken to church here by his mother until her death in 1817. The Italianate facade was added in 1839. (note that source 1 records the date of the added front as 1885). (5) Inside the Unitarian Chapel there is a commemorative plaque to Charles Darwin. (6) There is a memorial to him in the Unitarian Church in Shrewsbury. The memorial includes a stone representation of various natural history features which Darwin studied. These include various flowers, insects and fossils which are all depicted against a background of rock strata. (7) National Grid Reference SJ4919512439 (centroid of the object) identified by digital ordnance survey mapping. (8) Documented. (9)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : Salopian Magazine vol. 1, 1815.
Page(s) : 461
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 2
Source :
Source details : F1 DS 11-OCT-60
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 3
Source :
Source details :
Page(s) : 200-201
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 4
Source :
Source details : District of Shrewsbury and Atcham District 653-1/15/364, 17/11/1995
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 5
Source :
Source details : The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. 2009. Charles Darwin. a life in pictures, [Accessed 25-FEB-2009]
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 6
Source :
Source details : Darwins Shrewsbury. 2009. Darwins Shrewsbury Town Trail, [Accessed 25-FEB-2009]
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 7
Source :
Source details : The Mount. Charles Darwins birthplace. 2009. The Mount, [Accessed 25-FEB-2009]
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 8
Source :
Source details : 1:1250, 2007
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 9
Source :
Source details :
Page(s) : 200-1
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Founded 1662
Monument End Date : 1662
Monument Start Date : 1662
Monument Type : Nonconformist Meeting House
Evidence : Demolished Building, Documentary Evidence

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Built 1691
Monument End Date : 1691
Monument Start Date : 1691
Monument Type : Nonconformist Meeting House
Evidence : Documentary Evidence, Demolished Building

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Destroyed and rebuilt 1715
Monument End Date : 1715
Monument Start Date : 1715
Monument Type : Nonconformist Meeting House
Evidence : Documentary Evidence

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Darwin worshipped 1809-1817
Monument End Date : 1817
Monument Start Date : 1809
Monument Type : Historical Site
Evidence : Documentary Evidence

Monument Period Name : Victorian
Display Date : Rebuilt 1839-40
Monument End Date : 1840
Monument Start Date : 1839
Monument Type : Unitarian Chapel
Evidence : Extant Building

Monument Period Name : Victorian
Display Date : Altered 1885
Monument End Date : 1885
Monument Start Date : 1885
Monument Type : Unitarian Chapel
Evidence : Extant Building

Monument Period Name : 20th Century
Display Date : Erected 20th C
Monument End Date : 2000
Monument Start Date : 1901
Monument Type : Plaque, Commemorative Monument
Evidence : Extant Structure

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : NBR Index Number
External Cross Reference Number : 94040
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : Listed Building List Entry Legacy Uid
External Cross Reference Number : 457374
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SJ 41 SE 87
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1960-10-11
End Date : 1960-10-11

Associated Activities :
Activity type : ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
Start Date : 1995-11-14
End Date : 1995-11-14

Historic England Research Records

Unitarian Church