Avebury’s Chapel is the only place of Christian worship in Britain to be built in the middle of a prehistoric stone circle. Now the United Reform Church (URC) are to hold a public meeting in the village on September 10 to discuss its future.
The URC’s notice for this meeting says: “The South Western Synod of the United reformed Church is in the process of discussing the future of Avebury Chapel.”
“There is no longer a regular worshipping community, and the URC are considering the best way forward for the building. At present it is uninhabitable and needs money spent on it if it is to be used again in any capacity.”
The Parish Council has already held an extra meeting – attended by most councillors and about twenty-five parishoners – to discuss an approach to the South West of England Synod of the URC (August 24.) Some ‘significant concerns’ were raised at this meeting and it was pointed out that it was not just a matter for the village itself but also for Avebury’s position as a World Heritage Site.
The Chapel is of historical significance as one of the ‘Five Mile Chapels’ built to get round Charles II’s 1665 Non Conformists Act of Parliament which saw the expulsion from towns of ministers who would not accept the new Church of England prayer book.
In 1670 the Chapel was built for the congregations of Marlborough, Devizes and Calne as Avebury was outside the five-mile area around boroughs and towns in which non-conformist worship was prohibited.
In the twentieth century the Chapel has overcome dry rot and a dwindling congregation. And more recently it was the site of Avebury’s Tourist Information Centre. When that was closed by Wiltshire Council, the chapel’s future again became uncertain.
A plan was drawn up to turn it into a place of pastoral and spiritual information and reflection for all faiths. A ‘quiet garden’ has already been established at the back of the Chapel.
But this plan has since been rejected by the URC South Western Synod which is based in Taunton.
The Parish Council are writing to the URC explain that there are “significant and heartfelt concerns” in the village about the Chapel and asking for a dialogue about future plans.
The majority view at the meeting on August 24 was that villagers wanted to retain the plan to turn the chapel into an international outreach centre for all faiths and perhaps a place to celebrate Avebury’s international importance as a heritage site. The Parish Council is meeting again on September 8.
The public meeting will be held in St James Church, Avebury at 7.30pm on Thursday, September 10: “All welcome”.
