STANDS at the fork of two roads—the Kensington-park-road and
Ladbroke-road—and looks effective and well, which is partly owing to its
open position, and partly to the grey and sombre appearance of the stone
of which it is built, and rendered darker, too, by the effect of London
atmosphere and a little age. The detail is not very good. The south
front is the principal feature, composed of a high-pitched gable and two
square flanking towers and dwarf tile spires. The towers are relieved
with windows, simple arcade work, weather bands and strings, and
oversailing and corbelled courses, and each has a gallery entrance. The
gable has a terminal with a large window of fair design, and divided into
four lights. The chief entrance to the chapel is also in this front,
approached by steps. The interior is simple—roofed in one span with
light open timbers, and ribs on stone corbels. Galleries on iron columns
surround three sides of the chapel, parts of which in the transepts are
set apart for the schools, a large pulpit and railed platform, with table
and stalls, is at the north end, and the body of the chapel is filled
with close pews.
The Horbury Chapel and congregation date from the year 1849; and the 21st
year of their existence was celebrated in 1870 by the erection of side
galleries and by other improvements, at a cost of about 950_l._ Horbury
Chapel enterprise was an off-shoot from Hornton-street Congregational
Church, under the care of the Rev. Dr. Stoughton. The Rev. W. Roberts,
B.A., is the minister, and enjoys the reputation of an able and judicious
pastor of his flock. There is accommodation for nearly 1,000
worshippers, and the congregation averages from 550 to 650. The
pew-rents yield about 500_l._ per annum, and the weekly offerings 120_l._
There are excellent day-schools attached, with 400 children on the books,
and an attendance of 300; also a Sunday-school, with an attendance of
about 200. There is an out-school, too, in Notting-dale, with 115 under
instruction and a ragged-school in Ernest-street, which is eminently
useful in collecting together a class of children who would not otherwise
be cared for. 100 are in attendance at the infant day-school, and 50 at
the night school, and there are 50 in a Sunday-night school. There is a
penny bank established in connection with the ragged-school, and last
year there were deposits to the amount of 278_l._ 8s. 10d. At a mothers’
meeting there are usually in attendance thirty persons. Following the
example of the parent congregational church in Hornton-street, the
Horbury is aggressive in its labours. The increasing population about
Acton has attracted its attention. A new chapel is built there, and it
is hoped that a large congregation will shortly be gathered into it.
There is a tract society—the useful labours of which deserve notice;
besides which and its other home enterprises the Horbury congregation
contributes sums of various amount to the London City Mission, the
British Missions, the Foreign Sailors’ Society, the London Missionary
Society, and the Evangelisation of the Jews Society. There is much that
is gratifying about the unobtrusive Christian character and efforts of
this church, for which every Christian mind must pray them “God speed.”
The services are: Lord’s-day, 11 A.M., 3 P.M. (Young Women’s
Bible-class), and 6.30 P.M. Holy Communion, first Sunday in the month,
after the morning service, and on the third Sunday, after the evening
service. Wednesday evening at 7, an expository lecture, followed by a
Psalmody-class, to practise anthems and tunes. Prayer and church
meetings at stated times. There are six deacons, Messrs. Coats,
Cullingford, Holt, E. Nash, Starkey (Mrs. S.), and Walton.