Central Baptist Church (Leicester)

The Central Baptist Church, also known as the Charles Street Baptist Chapel, is a church on Charles Street in Leicester, Leicestershire, England, UK.[1]

Central Baptist Church
52.633482°N 1.128474°W / 52.633482; -1.128474
Location	Leicester, England, UK
Denomination	Baptist
Website	www.central-baptist.org.uk
History
Status	open
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade II listed
Designated	1973
Architect(s)	William Flynt
Completed	1832

Leicester in the 19th century was known as the ‘Metropolis of Dissent’ with a large number of non-conformist chapels and churches.[2] There been have been numerous places of worship of various denominations, including the Baptists.[3][4][5] Numerous chapels were built since the 17th century, many in the 19th century.[6][7]

The Charles Street Baptist Chapel was designed by William Flynt, a leading local architect,[8] and constructed in 1830.[2][6] The congregation of the Belvoir Street Chapel united with that of Charles Street in the 1940s[9] and became known as the United Baptist Church.[2] It was designated a Grade II listed building (1074071) in 1973.[10] It was named the Central Baptist Church in 1983 and is the last surviving of several Baptist churches in Leicester City Centre.[2]

The building also houses the William Carey Museum, dedicated to William Carey, who was instrumental in the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society.[11][12]

See also

• List of Baptist churches in Leicester
• List of Baptist churches in England

References

1. "Charles Street Baptist Chapel". City of Leicetser. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
2. Ruddy, Austin J. (6 February 2018). "Renovating a great survivor of the 'metropolis of dissent' Historic 1821 chapel on Leicester's Charles Street has been renovated to a high standard". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
3. Moore, Andre (2008). Where Leicester Has Worshipped. ISBN 978-0-9533628-2-0.
4. "Faith & Belief - Story of Leicester". www.storyofleicester.info.
5. "Mapped - University of Leicester Archheology and Ancient History Mapping Faith and Place". webcache.googleusercontent.com. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
6. Elliott, Malcolm. "Belief and Disbelief in Victorian Leicester" (PDF). Retrieved January 13, 2020. Clearly the Baptists in Leicester were unusually strong...Charles Street was built in 1830 and the Pork Pie chapel in Belvoir Street in 1845.
7. "The ancient borough: Protestant Nonconformity: A History of the County of Leicester: Volume 4". Victoria County History. 1958. pp. 390–394. Retrieved January 11, 2020. 1601
8. Goddard, Jane (August 28, 2018). "Building once described as 'refined' has finest neo-Greek facade in Leicester". leicestermercury. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
9. "Belvoir Street Chapel - Story of Leicester". www.storyofleicester.info. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
10. "Central Baptist Church, City of Leicester - 1074071 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk.
11. "Central Baptist Church and William Carey Museum". Visit Leicester. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
12. "William Carey Museum". Central Baptist. Retrieved 13 March 2020.