About | Roxton Chapel

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Roxton Congregational Church

Roxton Congregational Church is a totally independent self managing organisation with decisions made by Church members through the Church meeting. The day to day government of the church is by the three Church Deacons who are unpaid volunteers elected each year.

One Deacon is the Treasurer and Administrator who deals with all financial transactions and the routine administration of the Church. Another Deacon, the Services Secretary, deals with all aspects of Church services while the third Deacon administers the Gift Aid scheme and is the Minute Secretary for Church meetings. Volunteers help with other tasks such as playing the organ and assisting at events.

The Church does not have a minister or regular pastoral oversight, instead services each Sunday are led by a pool of twenty six accredited service leaders from a variety of denominations - five of whom are ministers. Roxton Congregational Church is affiliated to The Congregational Federation - a body which offers support and guidance in all aspects of religious affairs.

The Chapel

The thatched Chapel was originally a barn which was converted to a Cottage Orné style chapel around 1808. It sits in the conservation area of Roxton village and is Grade II* listed. The barn was converted to have ogee (arched gothic style) windows with leaded lights and rustic bark-clad timber columns all round. The regency style interior was bright with light from ten windows and the earth floor was laid with bricks and the simple interior enlarged with a gallery to the eastern end, supported by two iron columns and lit by an eyebrow window in the thatched roof.

Two wings were added in the 1830’s at either side in keeping with the original design, having elliptical ends so that within the rounded outer space small rooms were devised. The wing to the South side was designed as a vestry to be used for church meetings; the wing to the north side provided for use as a Sunday school and day school – the first in the village. This wing still has the forms and drop down work-benches from that day.

An extensive restoration was made in 1992. The work replaced the then straw thatch with water reed and a sedge ridge - and restored rafters and associated woodwork. The North wall of the main chapel had a serious damp problem so the brick base was redesigned with a lead damp course plus a French drain. The oak frame below the level of the window sills in the whole chapel was completely restored using air dried English oak.

By 2006 there was other work that was needed so an interim project involved repainting the outside woodwork in wood grain, the redecoration of the vestry, re-laying the loose and uneven cobbled area at the main door and re-ridging the roof. In 2019 the entire roof was re-thatched and repairs carried out to decayed timber.

2019 Restoration

Roxton Congregational Chapel received a National Lottery grant of £65,000 towards a £100,000 heritage project to renew the thatched roof and increase local involvement in the chapel in Roxton. This grant was made possible by money raised by National Lottery players. The two year project was completed in 2019 and involved removal and replacement of the decayed thatched roof, repairs to the roof timber, new information banners and leaflets for visitors as well as the training of tour guides. Supported through the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), the project has ensured that the building has a secure future and will enable people to learn about heritage.

Speaking on behalf of the Church, Bernard Hooker said: "After many years of trying to resolve this problem of the premature deterioration of the water reed thatch, we are extremely grateful for this grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund."

Grants were also provided by several charitable organisations, such as The Beds and Herts Historic Churches Trust - which includes the Wixamtree Trust - the Gale Family Trust, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the National Churches Trust and the John Warren Foundation. Also many donations both large and small, ranging from £5 to £1,000, from individuals and organisations including many Congregational Churches, some from very far away.