Hanover Chapel – Mill Street / Warwick Street (old) *

A schoolroom was first used as a place of meeting. Three years later the old chapel was built by congregationalists and a removal was made to Hanover Chapel, at the corner of Mill Street and Warwick Street.

The first stone was laid for this on April 23rd 1829 and on 17th January 1830 the chapel opened for divine service. (with thanks to Caryl Williams for this information). The work, did not progress however and in 1839 the chapel was closed for a time. Next year it was re-opened and continued in use until 1855/ 1856, when it was burnt down.

It was not subsequently rebuilt.  The congregation moved instead to a new* chapel in Berkley Street, leaving virtually no trace of the old one.  James Picton, in 1872, reported ‘ a few forlorn tombstones in a joiner’s yard, forming part of the old site‘ .

* There is room for confusion with addresses here as the new building although known as the Berkley Street Congregational Church is shown in Gore for 1858 as the Hanover Independent Chapel. It was sited close to number 9 Berkley St. at the corner of Berkley Street and Upper Hill Street.  It was built in 1857 and  in 1858 Rev. John Dewsnap was minister.

Both old and new church sites are now destroyed and under housing. The new building is shown on the 1905 map.