The Ely Place Chapel The first permanent chapel erected by the General Baptists was off Falcon Lane, on land belonging to Henry Place. (Portions of this building, including the graveyard, were in existence until the Church Mews development took place in 1987/88.) In 1803 the congregation moved to a new chapel in Ely Place. The building was replaced in 1873 by a more spacious and imposing building, in the Victorian Romanesque style. It was noted for the very delicate cast iron columns and tracery in the nave. This chapel was an extremely imaginative and competent solution to placing a comparatively large building on a very restricted site. With diminishing numbers in the mid-20th century, the congregation took the decision to amalgamate with the Baptists in Hill Street, thus creating the new Wisbech Baptist Church. The Ely Place Chapel was eventually demolished and in 1975 the County Library was built on its site.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 20:12:23 +0000