Not much historically as yet. It was built in 1851 and converted into twelve apartments in perhaps 2004. There are vaulted ceilings and skylights. 150 year leases on the flats from 2004. According to the Birmingham Evening Mail, despite the name the building has no religious significance, but seems to have acquired the nickname because of its location near the church in St Paul's Square. The front wall with tall windows resembles a chapel in shape.Does anyone have any information on The Old Chapel in St Paul’s Square in the Jewellery Quarter please
Wikimapia says:Not much historically as yet. It was built in 1851 and converted into twelve apartments in 2004. There are vaulted ceilings and skylights. 150 year leases on the flats from 2004. According to the Birmingham Evening Mail, despite the name the building has no religious significance, but seems to have acquired the nickname because of its location near the church in St Paul's Square. The front wall with tall windows resembles a chapel in shape.
'... It was once an electrical accumulator charging station. Before the Quarter was as we know it now, large batteries were transported to St Paul's Square by horse-drawn carriage to be charged here. As the structure, erected in the 1850s, is made of thick brick with tall windows designed to protect it in case of explosion, the nickname The Old Chapel is one that firmly stuck, given it looks like a place of worship.' Evening Mail 2017.
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/property/history-jewellery-quarters-most-lavish-13875650
Photo is second item.
So this purpose-built accumulator charging station was only active from 1851 to 1868 and then becomes a factory. I tend to forget how rapid industrial change was in Birmingham. I'm only familiar with accumulators from old wireless sets, but I suppose these could be used for lighting or small machines? And sorry, what's GE?From GE The Old Chapel is shown as 57 St Paul’s Square. Looking in Kelly’s from at least 1868 to 1890 this was Alfred Bennett, Manufacturers of roasting jacks.
Most familiar these days in the car battery which has lead plates suspended in a weak sulphuric acid solution. Milk Floats had lead acid cells connected together. Currently wheel chairs and fork lift trucks. Emergency lighting can be run off accumulators. If they are charged too quickly 'over gassing' can occur, so modern units are sealed and recharged by professionals.For those like me who don't know what an accumulator did:
"Before the Quarter was as we know it now, large batteries were transported to St Paul's Square by horse-drawn carriage to be charged here. As the structure, erected in the 1850s, is made of thick brick with tall windows designed to protect it in case of explosion, the nickname The Old Chapel is one that firmly stuck, given it looks like a place of worship" Source : Birmingham Mail
It was Bennetts in 1855 also . Also in 1849 and 1845 editions, though here, nos 55 and 56 are placed the same side of the junction with Charlotte St as no 57.From GE The Old Chapel is shown as 57 St Paul’s Square. Looking in Kelly’s from at least 1868 to 1890 this was Alfred Bennett, Manufacturers of roasting ja
I suspect Astonian who is sadly no longer with us was shown the cellars of an old building. Stories of monks and tunnels are common in England and I've been told them myself about other locations. The dissolution of the monasteries was before 1541. A folk memory or fiction attached to many old buildings.Looking back through the old threads about St Paul Square- There is an intriguing entry on May 7th 2011 by "Astonian" about being shown a tunnel that ran from the Church to the "Old Chapel"??? - Sounds unlikely given the information posted...
Birmingham History / Memories & Nostalgia / Neighbours & Streets / St Paul's Square / page 1
The architects of the converted building Nichols Brown Webber have a metal sign 'The Old Chapel' attached to the front wall. Perhaps it was their coinage? Redbrick gothic was fashionable in the 1850s for non-ecclesiastical buildings too.The term Old Chapel seems only to be mentioned in the 1990s.
You could try to contact Ben Waddington, he wrote about Birmingham's Hidden Spaces.https://www.business-live.co.uk/enterprise/hidden-spaces-subterranean-birmingham-exploring-9345738. He wrote a guidebook 111 Places in Birmingham that You Shouldn't Miss.I would love to know more about the possibilities of a tunnel under the Square.
You could try to contact Ben Waddington, he wrote about Birmingham's Hidden Spaces.https://www.business-live.co.uk/enterprise/hidden-spaces-subterranean-birmingham-exploring-9345738. He wrote a guidebook 111 Places in Birmingham that You Shouldn't Miss.
I don't know of any tunnels in St Pauls Square. There will be sewers and drains. Birmingham has some underground rivers.
https://www.subbrit.org.uk doesn't have any Cold War bunkers in this specific area?
People are fascinated by the idea of underground tunnels. The church will have a crypt?