BAPTIST CHURCHES

Table of Contents

Zion Chapel, Battle see NU/3/11

NB/1 Eastgate Baptist Church, Lewes

NB/2 Zoar Chapel, Upper Dicker

NB/3 Seaford Baptist Church

NB/4 Ebenezer Chapel, Hastings

NB/5 Forest Row Baptist Church

NB/6 Providence Chapel, Hadlow Down

NB/7 Beulah Chapel, Bexhill

NB/8 Wellington Square Chapel, Hastings

NB/9 Mount House Chapel, Piltdown

NB/10 Mermaid Street Baptist Church, Rye

NB/11 Uckfield Baptist Church

NB/12 Bethel Street Baptist Chapel, Wivelsfield

NB/13 Cavendish Place Chapel, Eastbourne

NB/14 Hailsham Baptist Chapel

NB/15 Five Ash Down Independent Chapel Buxted

NB/16 Shovers Green Baptist Chapel, Wadhurst

NB/17 Forest Fold Baptist Chapel, Crowborough

NB/18 Robertsbridge Strict Baptist Chapel, Salehurst

NB/19 Portslade Baptist Church

NB/20 Salem Baptist Chapel, Brighton

NB/21 Ceylon Place Baptist Church, Eastbourne

Summary of classes

NB/1 Lewes Eastgate Baptist Chapel (Foundry Lane Chapel): church books and minutes, 1781-1931; accounts, 1844-1885; title deeds of the Eastgate site, [1787]-1876; title deeds of the Sunday School site in Little East Street, 1787-1896; abstract of title to a carpenter's shop adjoining the Sunday School, [1799]-1913; other records consisting of list of persons baptised and of members, sermons, papers concerning the appointment of Trustees, fire insurance policy, correspondence, The Story of the Lewes Baptists, inventory, 1788-1940; Lewes Benevolent Society rules and regulations, minutes, draft reports of the committee, 1843-1882; Brighton and Sussex Baptist Missionary Society accounts (includes Mothers' Meeting accounts), 1834-1880; Sussex Federation of Evangelical Free Church Council minutes, 1901-1910; Deacons' meeting minutes, 1903-1930; Sunday School teachers' meeting minutes, statistics of attendance, music sheet for juvenile services, 1871-1966; Choir Committee minutes, 1919-1927; Christian Endeavour Society meeting minutes (includes attendance registers), 1921-1954; membership register, 1875-1922

NB/2 Upper Dicker Zoar Chapel: chapel book containing certificates, account of the erection of the new chapel, list of burials, church and Deacons' meeting minutes, account of the formation of the chapel, list of members and baptisms, 1834-1857; church meeting minutes, 1871-1896; burial register, 1843-1906; names of Trustees and declaration of faith, 1864-1976; register of members and baptisms, 1871-1917; printed history of the chapel, 1979; printed booklet commemorating the 25th anniversary of the pastorate of the Rev J W Tyler, 1964

NB/3 Seaford Baptist Church, Belgrave Road (Broad Street): church meeting minutes, 1901-1972 records withdrawn - use XA 44/1; Deacons' meeting minutes, 1918-1972 records withdrawn - use XA 44/1-2; Womens' meeting minutes, 1942-1964 records withdrawn - use XA 44/2; Womens' League minutes, 1946-1974 records withdrawn - use XA 44/2; Vale Road Building Committee minutes, Vale Road Hall Committee minutes, 1946-1967 records withdrawn - use XA 44/3; Planning and Finance Committee minutes, 1970-1972 records withdrawn - use XA 44/3; Secretary's memorandum book, 1934-1941 records withdrawn - use XA 44/3; communion registers, 1911-1957 records withdrawn - use XA 44/3; records of buildings consisting of title deeds of the Broad Street site of the church, agreement and plans for building the church, 1901-1963; reports and newsletters, 1927-1979 records withdrawn except newsletters, 1945-1948 & 1960-1979 - use XA 44/3; accounts, 1960-1968; correspondence concerning appointments of Ministers, war damage to the church, Vale Road Church Hall, membership constitution of the church, 1927-1974 NB/1/13/1-2 withdrawn - use XA 44/3; printed histories, handbooks and orders of service, 1907-1974 NB/1/14/1-4, 7 withdrawn - use XA 44/3; other records consisting of photographs of Ministers, Kent and Sussex Baptist Association year books, Sussex Baptist Association year books, circulars and reports, c1930-1978

NB/4 Hastings Ebenezer Chapel (Strict and Particular Baptist): title deeds of the site of the chapel, 1817-1946; title deeds of land for extension of the chapel, 1873-1879; printed histories of the chapel, c1885-1932; membership records including baptisms, pew rents, 1818-1904: reprint of Articles of Faith & Rules of the Strict Baptist Church meeting at Ebenezer Chapel, Hastings, 1981

NB/5 Forest Row Baptist Church: church book consisting of minutes of Improvement Fund Committee, Building Committee, Sale of Work Committee, history of the chapel, transcript of trust deed and notes on appointment of new Trustees, minutes of Deacons' meetings, Selection Committee, and also church rules, lists of members, minutes of Deacons' meetings, [1811]-1967; church meeting minutes, 1938-1959; Privy Council order closing the burial ground, 1879; design for new windows in the church, nd (1930s); commemorative programme for the 150th anniversary of the church, 1961; accounts of the executors of Thomas Briggs who left the residue of his estate to the church, 1965; inventory and list of memorial inscriptions, 1980

NB/6 Hadlow Down Providence Chapel: chapel book consisting of trust deed, appointments of new Trustees, poor fund accounts, minutes of Trustees' meetings, 1849-1965

NB/7 Bexhill Beulah Chapel: papers concerning the founding of the church and its 60th anniversary, 1896-1956; licence to use the church for marriages, 1898; photographs of the church, nd (c1910); membership records, 1896-1959; accounts, 1897-1912; other records consisting of dedication of the new organ, organ recitals, newsletter, year books, rules and constitution, 1930-1982

NB/8 Hastings Wellington Square Chapel: minutes of the Halton Committee, Bazaar Committee, Dorcas Society, 1913-1939; registers of members, 1901-1960s; subscription books, 1838-1956; Deacons' cash book, 1844-1846; accounts of weekly offerings, 1898-1951; annual accounts, 1903-1974; accounts of cinema expenses, 1930-1936; accounts of the Missionary Society, 1934-1952; records of the Sunday School consisting of minutes of teachers' meetings and annual reports of the Wellington Square and Halton Sunday Schools, subscription accounts, 1871-1929; records of the Young People's Fellowship consisting of minutes of Executive Committee, attendance register, accounts, programmes of meetings, 1920s-1941; other records consisting of presentation to Minister, letters about war damage to the Curtis Institute and sale of the Institute, 1936-1947

NB/9 Piltdown Mount House Chapel: minutes of church meetings, 1863-1946; minutes of Officers' meetings, 1929-1936; registers of members (includes baptisms), 1846-1929; accounts, 1858-1887; other records consisting of tracing of Ordnance Survey 25-inch sheet by the census enumerator, notes for lectures, committee report to the South East District, history of the chapel, [1846]-1946

NB/10 Rye, Mermaid Street Baptist Church: minutes of church meetings, 1766-1917

NB/11 Uckfield Baptist Church: trust deed, 1871; history of the church, [1785]-1985

NB/12 Wivelsfield, Bethel Street Baptist Chapel: transcripts of the church book (articles of faith, membership lists, minutes) and register of births and burials, [1763]-[1837]; history of the chapel, 1980

NB/13 Eastbourne, Cavendish Place Baptist Chapel: title deeds of the site of the chapel and lands adjoining, 1825-1969; minutes of church meetings and Deacons' meetings, 1859-1984; other records consisting of history of the chapel, 1980

NB/14 Hailsham Baptist Chapel: church meeting minutes (includes births and deaths), [1794]-1934; Trustees' meeting minutes, 1931-1937; Building Committee minutes, 1909-1910; accounts, 1810-1981; administrative papers consisting of copy of trust deed, certificate for performance of marriages at the chapel, notes of marriages performed, letter concerning the transport of a corpse, plans of the burial ground, rules and charges of the burial ground, death certificates, chapel library lending register, [1826]-1945; Sunday School Committee minutes, 1864-1912; Sunday School teachers' meeting minutes, 1934-1975; Sunday School printed annual reports, 1865-1919; Sunday School admission registers, 1865-1922; Sunday School attendance registers, 1851-1917; Sunday School roll books, 1865-1916; Sunday School class register, 1940-1989; Sunday School prize giving book, 1891-1898; Sunday School catechism books, nd (c1920); other records consisting of histories of the chapel, pastors' accounts, membership records, photographs of the chapel, grounds and pastors, 1792-1950

NB/15 Buxted Five Ash Down Independent Chapel: Trustees' meeting minutes (includes accounts), 1858-1923; Sunday School teachers' meeting minutes, 1880-1913; Trustees' accounts, 1879-1985; balance sheets, 1945-1966; membership records consisting of burial register, pew rent register, plans of graveyard, graveyard fees, [1864]-1973; Pastors' papers, [1783]-1912; other records consisting of schedules of title deeds, articles of religion, photograph of chapel, fire insurance policy, 200th anniversary booklet, [1787]-1984

NB/16 Wadhurst Shovers Green Baptist Chapel: church books (includes baptisms, marriages and burials), 1815-1977

NB/17 Crowborough Forest Fold Baptist Chapel: printed histories of the chapel, 1898-1974

NB/18 Robertsbridge Bethel (Strict and Particular) Baptist Chapel: church meeting minutes, [1920]-1998; minutes of trustees' meetings, 1958-1962; other minutes, 1858-1859; baptism register and list of members, 1844-1988; plans, 1960; other records, 1894-1962

NB/19 Portslade Baptist Church: minutes of church meetings, 1873-1985; minutes of Deacons' meetings, 1904-1995; church rules, nd, c1890 - 1951; treasurer's reports and annual accounts, 1953/54 - 1977/78; other records, 1919-1984

Documents are closed to public inspection for 30 years from the last date of a document

BATTLE BAPTIST CHAPEL

Introduction

An Independent Calvinist congregation was established in 1776 under the influence of the preaching of George Gilbert (1741-1827), the minister of the Calvinist chapel at Heathfield, and as a result a chapel was founded on 28 March 1780 as a Particular Baptist meeting. They initially worshipped in a room of a house in Mount Street and from 1782 in a building described in the printed history as 'the old Presbyterian building'. A new building was erected in 1789 and opened on 11 April 1790. In 1793 most of the congregation embraced Universalism and became General Baptists and subsequently Unitarians (for records see NU/3). The minister, William Vidler, and the remainder of the congregation were excommunicated and became Particular Baptists

In 1798 they leased a piece of land on which a wooden meeting house was built; the freehold was purchased in 1810. In September 1820 work began on a new chapel; the Zion Chapel, Mount Street was opened on 27 February 1821. The old chapel was used as a Sunday School for nearly 70 years until it was sold, pulled down and Florance Cottages were built on the site

For a history of the chapel with a biography of William Vidler, see NU/3/11; for the memoir of Richard Sinnock, a member of the congregation, see AMS5876