KENSINGTON TABERNACLE, in Horton-street, close to the High-street, is a
very neat-looking modernised building, so far at least as its west front
goes; all has been done for it that stucco can do, and its entrance
arcade gives to it an uncommon appearance, unlike the usual arrangements
applied to chapels.
The interior, with its large encircling gallery, good pulpit, harmonium,
nice pewing, make up a very satisfactory whole; but the great charm of
the interior consists in the quiet, excellent taste displayed in the
coloured decoration and painting, very much to be admired, and worthy of
imitation, and seeming to tell its own tale of the simplicity and the
faith of the congregation that worship there.
The history of Hornton street Chapel has been various and chequered. The
church connected with it has been successively Presbyterian,
Congregational, and Baptist. The old Presbyterian cause in Kensington
began to shape itself about the year 1790, when the few united together
met in a plain barn-like building at a place called South-end, at the end
of St. James’s-street, leading out of Kensington-square. The most
remarkable part of the church’s history here was that it was right in the
teeth of the noted local infidel of that day, Tom Taylor, who held near
the same spot what he called his “Hell-fire Club,” in which, with his
rough disciples, he used to meet, and rave against religion and society.
From hence, we believe, the corner is vulgarly known by the awful
nomenclature of “Hell-fire-corner.” From this scene the church removed
to Hornton-street in 1793. Three of the members had joined their means
and influence to procure this more eligible meeting-house. They were a
Mr. Gray, a nurseryman, Mr. Broadwood, the founder of the great
pianoforte firm, and Mr. Foreacre, the then coachman of King George III.
Of these three worthies it is told that they built the chapel by
bond-deeds, the amount of responsibility being equally divided among
them. Some time after the opening there remained still due to each of
them 600_l._, 1,800_l_. in all; and at a certain meeting of the deacons,
one of them took up the poker from the grate and, winding his bond round
the end of it, thrust it into the fire, the other two immediately
following his example. By this noble act the chapel was freed from debt,
there remaining only a ground-rent of 8_l._ 8s. per annum. It is also
related that the royal coachman about this time dropped a handful of
tracts into the coach one day, when about to take out his royal master,
and the King, who it appears perused the tracts diligently, afterwards
commanded his devout servant to get him a further supply. The Rev. Dr.
Lake was the first minister, in whose time members of the Royal Family
from Kensington Palace rented a pew in the chapel. He was succeeded in
the pastorate by the Revs. John Clayton, Dr. Liefchild, Dr. Vaughn, and
Dr. Stoughton, now of Allen-street Chapel, our account of which we should
recommend to be read in connexion with this. In the time of the latter
pastorate, Hornton-street Tabernacle became the parent of two other
chapels—viz., Horbury and Allen-street, to the latter of which Dr.
Stoughton attached himself with his church. The chapel was then closed
for a considerable time, and used only as an appendage to Allen-street
for school accommodation, &c. There was, however, a division of opinion
in the matter, a few of the old members, contending that the chapel
should still have been used for its original purpose, and that there was
in the town abundant room for a second cause. To this Dr. Stoughton
himself was decidedly opposed, and consequently it remained closed until
it had been purchased by the Metropolitan Railway Company, who, needing
the schools in the rear for the progress of their works, were compelled
to take the whole property. 4,000_l._ was thus obtained, with which Dr.
Stoughton was enabled to build his present superior schools in
Allen-street. In the meantime, Mr. Orchard and a few others of the
Baptist persuasion, had met in an office, now an auction and estate
agency, adjoining the old chapel, and engaged the Rev. R. J. Mesquitta,
of Mr. Spurgeon’s College, as pastor. That minister’s success was so
great that they were shortly obliged to adjourn to the Avenue Assembly
Rooms. Whilst here, the railway company put the old chapel into the
market to be let. The church availed itself of the opportunity and
returned to it, undertaking it at an annual rental of 115_l._ This was
about a year and a half ago. 600_l._ was required to put it in order,
build galleries, &c., which was promptly promised by members of the
congregation. One would have thought that this was the beginning of
better days; but, alas! through some evil fortune, it was the beginning
of a new and distressing decline. In the settlement of the property now
acquired in the chapel, the four persons who had transacted the business,
it appears, did it all in their own names, without any legal reference to
the church for which they were the intended trustees. This certainly was
an error, from which one subsequently, when he discovered the effect, was
honourably anxious to disentangle himself. The other three, however,
held out against the remonstrances of the minister, Mr. Orchard, and
others, who had made themselves responsible for the money to those whom
they had looked upon as trustees. The natural ultimate consequence was,
that the minister left in the midst of his usefulness, the members and
congregation quitted their seats, and the church became again a wreck.
To this state of things the present pastor, the Rev. Mr. Hawes, succeeded
a short time since. He appears to be a minister of great earnestness of
purpose. He is a good Evangelical preacher, and delivers himself mainly
extempore, with considerable power and unction, and it can only be hoped
that he will succeed in repairing the breaches of Zion, and building up
this church anew. There are about 700 seats, 300 of which—all the
galleries—are free. There is a small Sunday-school, having about 60
scholars of both sexes.