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St John’s Chapel Deritend

By the early 19th century, the sad state of the 1735 Deritend Chapel had become a matter of public controversy. The following is a somewhat edited extract from a letter to the editor of the Gentleman's Magazine (June 1818). The author, who signs himself "Orthodox", gives a general history of the Deritend Chapel, and makes the intriguing remark: "A sketch of the building has been preserved as it is said to have stood about the year 1590". After telling us "that the present annual income is generally understood to be about £400", he concludes:
The Chapel is of brick, with stone casings to the doors and windows, and calculated to contain upwards of 1,100 persons conveniently; but, from its situation, incapable of enlargement, although the great and increasing population of the neighbourhood renders more accommodation absolutely necessary. The building, for want of funds exclusively appropriated to its repairs, has been suffered to run into rather a dilapidated state, and probably would now require £1,000-1,500 to repair it thoroughly; and, if delayed much longer, the expenses of such a measure will be enormous: whether other means will be found for these repairs, or whether the inhabitants will bring forward the requiring necessity, and compel the Trustees to expend the rents of the Rowley Estate for the purpose, time will show; but that the necessity does require immediate repairs is allowed by all; and surely it will be unjust towards any succeeding Minister, if he is allowed to find his Chapel dilapidated immediately on election. The necessity imperiously calls upon the Trustees and inhabitants to find other means for the purpose, or upon the Trustees to execute the Trusts created by the original Grantor; and if they wilfully fail in their duty, it is understood that the Estate will revert to the Grantor's heir at law. A sinking fund seems to present itself as a proper mode in future by which the Chapel may be repaired, and the incumbent very little oppressed.

I take this opportunity of submitting to the Inhabitants of Deritend and Bordesley, friends of the Established Church, the propriety, if not necessity, of a new, large, and in part a free Chapel. There is no accommodation for the poorer classes, who are consequently driven to Conventicles; and, if a proper erection was made, many, no doubt, would be retained within the fold, and others reclaimed. Somewhere about the upper end of Bordesley, or Bradford-street, seems a desirable situation, and the present is certainly a most apt time. Very material assistance may be obtained from the National Fund, by early application; and I feel great confidence that a subscription, fully equal to the objects in view, would be readily entered into by the wealthy and liberal inhabitants.
 
That's a fine 1940s picture of the 1735 chapel, DW, and only our second 20th century picture. According to post #16 (which has a 1920s view), the chapel was de-consecrated (is that a word?) by the time your picture was taken, and was soon to be a furniture warehouse, and then irreparably damaged in WW2 bombing. Some more information about these declining years would be quite acceptable.

(Replacement)
 

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Thanks Lyn and Dennis. This conjectural 1553 map of Birmingham (after James Hill) shows the St Johns Chapel, the "Golden Lion" almost next door, and the "Old Crown" on the other side of the High Street.
 

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... the timber framed house of the Clergy, also used as a school for the Guild of St. John the Baptist of Deritend ...

It would be very interesting to learn more about the early history of this building (which we're calling the "Golden Lion") and its relationship to the St Johns Chapel.

According to Lyn's picture (post #60), it was built in about 1600, more that two centuries after the chapel. Does this mean that there was an earlier building on the site (or nearby)?

Help please ...
 
Here is another version of the comjectural map , from mapseeker, for the area

deritend_1553.jpg
 
Maybe moving the building to Cannon Hill has preserved it existence. Given the bombing raids of WW2 there was a good chance the building might have been destroyed. ;)

I have read the thread with interest. When passing through Deritend and Digbeth (but usually the Midland Red was my focus of attention here), usually on the upper deck of a bus nearly sixty years ago, I always found the buildings of great interest.
Similarly much of the older buildings still to be seen outside cities can be of great interest. I used to cycle to Henley-in-Arden often: usually taking a rural route rather than the main roads. There were many old structures to be seen. But that was when roads were not jam packed as they are today. :D
 
Maybe moving the building to Cannon Hill has preserved it existence. Given the bombing raids of WW2 there was a good chance the building might have been destroyed ...

Very good point, Alan. The chapel itself was fatally damaged in the blitz.

[I'm pleased to hear that you're finding the thread interesting.]
 
A nice shot of the High street and the Chapel for the collection.
 

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Presumably this is the original chapel. This claims to be a 14th century view. Hard to imagine Deritend once looking like the drawing. Viv.

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I suspect that the picture of the old chapel (and the one earlier in this thread) is a crude version of an apparently more skilfull etching, here.

All of them must have been created long after demolition. This can hardly be contemporary. (Tarmac the roadway and you could almost have a bus running down it!) I wonder if there were ever one created whilst it was still standing. Or are all these from imagination?

Chris

(Source: "Men and Names of Old Birmingham" by Toulmin Smith, 1864)

Deritend004.jpg
 
Demolished in 1947. Too late for John Spilsbury but perhaps worth mentioning that first port of call for [Birmingham] parish records should be the Library of Birmingham [in Birmingham Diocesan Record Office] and yes they do have the records for St Johns. Recent/current records will probably still be at the church concerned; in my experience churches are usually helpful with enquiries but you may need to make a visit.


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