Carlisle Lowther Street Chapels

Retail premises on the site of Lowther Street WA Chapel, Carlisle, 29.3.2016

Carlisle, Lowther Street WA Chapel, Cumberland

Grid Ref NY403558

The first place of worship on this site was a temporary wooden “tabenacle“. The foundation stone of a “handsome,” permanent replacement was laid in April 1836. It was paid for by issuing 700 £1 shares. After the wooden building was demolished the congregation obtained the use of the Town Hall for Sunday service, but finding that it was too small they also obtained use of the Baptist Chapel in Fisher Street (a former Wesleyan Chapel) and succeeded in filling both buildings. The Sunday school met in Mr Sawyer’s large room in Fisher Street. In 1851 the chapel had 900 free and 100 other sittings. By 1924 these had been reduced to 400. It was closed shortly after Methodist union. The congregation joined with Cecil Street and the building was sold, demolished and replaced by retail premises.

Sources

Carlisle Journal, 9/4/1836, 14.5.1836

The National Archives HO129/568/2/6 1851 census of religious worship

Cumbria Archive Service, Carlisle DFCM1/3/9 UM Special returns re seating

Carlisle, Lowther Street (Wesleyan Reform Branch of the WM) , Cumberland

In 1851 this congregation was meeting in a building erected in 1842 by a number of shareholders for the purpose of providing accommodation for the Mechanics Institute, a lecture room and sale room etc. They rented the sale room which provided 280 free seats on Sundays only

Sources

The National Archives HO129/568/2/8 1851 census of religious worship