Nonconformity in Roxton

Registration of Nonconformist Meeting Houses

In 1672 Charles II issued a Declaration of Toleration for Protestants dissenting from the Church of England; this had the effect of some dissenting meeting houses registering with the Secretary of State. The Toleration Act of 1689 enshrined the right of protestants to dissent from the Church of England and, once again, encouraged meeting houses to register voluntarily with local quarter sessions| and Anglican church. Registration provided protection against persecution, laying a duty of protection upon magistrates and so was popular with nonconformists. Most registrations were made with quarter sessions until the middle of the 18th century, presumably due to the mutual antagonism of nonconformists and established Church. However, from that point registration with the Church, via the local archdeaconry| began to become the favoured method, because the archdeaconry Registrar would issue a licence at any time rather than during the days each quarter when the quarter sessions met.

Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service has a reasonable number of registrations of nonconformist meeting houses in both the Quarter Sessions and Archdeaconry of Bedford archives. Registration continued through the 19th century even though persecution faded away - this was because registered buildings were allowed to claim exemption from parish poor rates, were exempt from control by the Charity Commission and were allowed to be licensed to carry out marriages. These things meant that registration became almost compulsory in practice for well established nonconformist meetings. This is fortunate for the local historian because sometimes the only surviving references to a nonconformist meeting occur as registrations.

Baptists

The only reference to Baptists in Roxton is in 1753 when the dwellinghouse of Paul Freshwater was registered with the archdeaconry [ABN1/1 and ABN2/3] by Thomas Craner of Blunham and Samuel Butler of Bedford, wheelwright. Craner was Baptist minister at Blunham.

 
Roxton Congregational Chapel in March 2007

Congregationalists

In 1808 the building and premises of Charles John Metcalfe of Roxton House [the Lord of the Manor] in occupation of William Brown, between the premises of Mary Garratt north and premises of Ann Rouston west with the close of C.J.Metcalfe south and the road east were registered by Metcalfe, William Brown and John Savile [ABN1/1 and ABN2/132]. H.G.Tibbutt wrote a pamphlet about the chapel in 1958 [CRT170] in which he quotes from the first entry in the Church Book: "On 31 May 1808, a barn belonging to C.J.Metcalfe was opened for occasional preaching on Lord's day and other evenings by ministers of different denominations, when Revd. WStevens, then of Prescott Street, London, preached in the morning from 2 Timothy 2:9 "But the word of God is not bound" and the Rev.S.Hillyard of Bedford in the evening from 1 Chronicles 29:5 "Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day to the Lord". Difficulties arising in obtaining supplies every Sabbath evening, Mr.Metcalfe conducted the services when no minister could be procured".

Roxton Congregational Chapel about 1900 [Z1130/67]

In 1822 a series of formal resolutions were adopted at the formation of Roxton chapel as an Independent Church. The barn was enlarged and altered around this time, developing into the thatch roofed and rustic looking meeting house of today. In 1825 a slim volume entitled Roxton Hymns was printed in London and sold for a shilling. An illustration of the chapel on the front shows that the two wings containing the rooms for the village day school and the Sunday School had not yet been added. Charles James Metcalfe died in 1855 and the church lost its sponsor.

In 1899 it was noted that mission services were undertaken at Chawston which were "much appreciated". During the First World War the congregation lost a number of its members - Peter Darrington, with 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, on the first day of the battle of the Somme,  Alfred John Covington and Wilfred Covington, both of 2nd Bedfords and both, also, on the Somme, Joseph Simcoe of 8th Bedfords , John William Gilbert of 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, Alfred Darrington of 5th Gloucesters and Albert Walter Ekins of the Royal Flying Corps, whilst at home in one week in 1915 the church lost a congregation member, Mary Ann Barcock, a former pastor, Thomas Chapman and a deacon and Sunday School teacher George Caleb Covington.

 
Private Covington's postcard back [Z291/656/32]

Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service has a poignant postcard from Alfred Covington it shows the exterior of the chapel in the top half and a view of the interior of the chapel in the bottom half. It was posted in the field to his mother Mrs C Covington of 2 Council Cottages. The message includes the line: "sorry to send this but I have another like it this is one Mr Simcoe sent me a year ago. AC". The card is postmarked 31 Jul 1916, by which time its sender was already dead, killed in the 2nd Bedfords attack on Maltzhorn Farm near Guillemont, he was 24 [X291/656/32]. Private Covington has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

 
Private Covington's postcard front [X291/656/32]

During the next world war the chapel had a narrow miss, again as reported by H.G.Tibbutt in the Church Book: "During the evening service on Sunday, December 17th [1944], we were somewhat alarmed when a flying bomb seemed to pass very low over the chapel and crashed in a field a short distance away. The only damage done to the chapel was a fused electric bulb and a few small panes loosened. the bomb cut the overhead cable and cast us into darkness, but our minister calmly went on with his sermon and then ended the service with the benediction". The County Control did not record this incident but did record one nearby a week earlier: Great Barford: V1 flying bomb also containing propaganda leaflets exploded at Northfield Farm, 150 yards west of Windmill Road; (10 Dec 1944) [WW2/AR/CO/2/3]. 

H.G.Tibbutt lists the pastors of the chapel from the first settled pastor until 1947:

1823-1831: Thomas Nottage;
1831-1851: Henry Winzar;
1851-1860: no settled pastor;
1860-1872: John William Rolls;
1873-1877: James Gunn;
1886-1908: Thomas Chapman;
1909-1913: James Hammil;
1914-1924: Richard Harmstone;
1925-1933: Ernest Slater;
1934-1935: Alfred Norman Rowland;
1935-1947: David Prothero

The Congregational chapel continues as a place of worship at the time of writing [Mar 2007].