A Brief History of Chorley Chapel
Our Chapel has a long and interesting history as can be seen from the following (slightly amended) account written by the Civic Society on the Centenary of the death of Sir Henry Tate in 1999.
The will of Abraham Crompton of Chorley Hall, who died in 1724, provided £150 to buy land and build the Chapel and £850 as an endowment of a minister. The chancel was added in 1815 when his descendant, Susan Crompton, bequeathed a further £1000.
Inside is a board, listing the ministers of the Chapel, with dates.
Prominent among former ministers is the Reverend William Tate, minister from 1799-1836, and father of Sir Henry Tate (born 1819), founder of Tate & Lyle plc and donor of the Tate Gallery in London.
Sir Henry was a generous benefactor to Chorley, providing money to buy books in the new Free Library in Avondale Road. The organ and central choir seats in the chancel were donated by Sir William Tate - Grandson of the Reverend William Tate - in 1902.
In the churchyard is the tomb of the Reverend William Tate and members of his family.
The chapel was completely restored and refurbished by Leonard M Fairclough in 1963 in memory of his father, Leonard Fairclough, who was born in 1849 and died in 1927.
The old Manse, contemporary with the chapel but with additions to the front about 1819-1820, adjoins the Chapel grounds and was the childhood home of Sir Henry Tate. This is commemorated on a plaque erected by Chorley Civic Society. Sir Henry was educated there at a school run by his father which helped supplement the Minister's small stipend.
The cellar of the Manse and the Chapel were used by Bonnie Prince Charlie in November 1745 as the quarters for 36 of his men on their way south towards London. The prince stayed at the nearby Chorley Hall. It is recorded that the soldiers ate 41 lbs of cheese before supper. It is also recorded that the Minister, the Reverend John Bent, was awarded £5 (a considerable sum in those days) 'on account of his sufferings from the rebels'.
The previous owner of the Manse, the late Miss Hilary Mayer, occasionally opened the cellar to the public on the anniversary of the visit.
The Unitarian Chapel and Manse are situated within the St Laurence's Conservation Area. The Manse is now in private ownership.