Vital grant to restore historic Providence Chapel

A former barracks building, built in Horsham in the late 18th century, will be restored thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund grant.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Oct 2015, 13:04 BST
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The barracks was built in 1797 to house soldiers who were assembling to meet the threat of an invasion by Napoleon.

After the Battle of Waterloo one of the buildings - a guardroom or officers’ mess - was moved to Charlwood and turned into a nonconformist place of worship known as Charlwood Union Chapel.

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Later known as Providence Chapel, it fell into disuse in 2012, and was bought by the newly-formed Providence Chapel Charlwood Trust.

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The trust has now received a £42,000 development grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help repair and restore the chapel, to present its history to the public and enable it to be used by Charlwood School.

Once work is undeway, the trust plans to apply for a full grant.

Trust chairman Brendon Sewill, said: “This is a huge boost for preserving a vital part of our village history.

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“Charlwood has a wealth of history – a fine Norman church and over 80 listed buildings of which the chapel is one of the most important. We are delighted that generations of children will now be able to absorb its history.”

Providence Chapel is listed Grade 2* which puts it in the top six per cent of the most important historic buildings in England, and it is on the English Heritage register of buildings at risk.

A statement from the trust said it had received great help from English Heritage, the Architectural Heritage Fund, the Surrey Historic Buildings Trust, council planning officers and from the Heritage Lottery Fund themselves.

- The Battle of Waterloo will be commemorated in the chapel with a musical review in the chapel, featuring songs and music popular in England at that time.

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The review will be performed by One Knight Only and Friends on October 23 and 24. Tickets are available from The Cafe, Charlwood. (01293) 862431.

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Related topics:English Heritage