Now the Parish Rooms, this building in Gosditch Street used to be the Presbyterian chapel. It was licensed in 1672, making it the oldest non-conformist place of worship in Cirencester. At first the property was described only as a Meeting House. Presbyterians were allowed freedom of worship by the 1689 Act of Toleration, but it was not until the 19th century that anti-Trinitarianism was permitted and the congregation became identified as "Unitarian".
It is traditionally claimed that Alexander Gregory, the Vicar for Cirencester during the Civil War, was associated with the early years of the Presbyterism in the town, having been deprived of his living by the 1662 Act of Uniformity. In fact there is no evidence for this; according to Richard Reece, Gregory simply disappears from the records at this time, probably through ill health.
Among the most prominent of the congregations's later ministers was the splendid Revd. Joshua Parry, a friend of Dr. Johnson. (About whom there is lots more to discover.....)In modern times numbers of worshippers dwindled and the building was sold off in 1994, but happily it still has a public and Christian purpose*
Nt. 12/2021. According to Robert Heaven, it was sold for redevelopment in 2017. Sold in January 2020 for £250,000.
References
British Listed Buildings - Unitarian Chapel, Cirencester Some of the tombs in the old churchyard behind are "listed" as well.
Dr F. James, "An old Cirencester chapel" Reprinted from Gloucestershire History No.11 (1997) p.2-9.
"Cirencester" in Sir Jerom Murch, A History of the Presbyterian and General Baptist Churches in the West of England (1835) [On Google Books]
Richard Reece, Alexander Gregory, Vicar of Cirencester 1628-1662, a survivor (Paper on Academia.edu)
Charles Henry Parry, A Memoir of the Revd. Joshua Parry: Nonconformist Minister of Cirencester (1872) [On Google Books]
Beecham (p.143)
References
British Listed Buildings - Unitarian Chapel, Cirencester Some of the tombs in the old churchyard behind are "listed" as well.
Dr F. James, "An old Cirencester chapel" Reprinted from Gloucestershire History No.11 (1997) p.2-9.
"Cirencester" in Sir Jerom Murch, A History of the Presbyterian and General Baptist Churches in the West of England (1835) [On Google Books]
Richard Reece, Alexander Gregory, Vicar of Cirencester 1628-1662, a survivor (Paper on Academia.edu)
Charles Henry Parry, A Memoir of the Revd. Joshua Parry: Nonconformist Minister of Cirencester (1872) [On Google Books]
Beecham (p.143)
