Whenever possible we hope to make the historical notes prepared by visit leaders available to a wider audience on our website. Thanks are due to all those who have diligently researched the visits and have allowed us to share their notes with our members. Click on the links to read the notes.
Royal Leamington Spa (25 April 2026) ~ Ted Royle’s comprehensive notes were the ideal accompaniment to a packed itinerary incorporating eight chapels in the town and its suburban adjunct Lillington, including several of significant architectural importance.
Saffron Walden (11 October 2025) ~ Stephen Rapkin and John Anderson, who provided these notes, led a gentle walking tour of Saffron Walden, the north Essex market town which gave its name to a notable hymn tune. Members discovered a town of architectural charm and great religious diversity and vitality.
Grantham (5 July 2025) ~ Martin Wellings organised this fascinating trip to the Lincolnshire market town, whose religious history was brought to life with the help of local historian Dr John Manterfield, who accompanied us all day.
Hastings (10 May 2025) ~ Matt Davis led members on a walking tour of the ancient, unspoiled Old Town and the Victorian ‘new town’ of the famous Sussex resort, visiting Roman Catholic, United Reformed, Salvation Army, Quaker and Unitarian places of worship and the ‘Cathedral of Congregationalism’ at Robertson Street, now used by an independent Pentecostal church.
Barnsley (12 October 2024) ~ Led by Gerard Charmley, members had an enjoyable walk round central parts of the town, where we visited excellent chapels and meeting-houses dating from 1876, 1903, 1968 and 1969 and discovered several others of great historic and architectural interest.
London (29 June 2024) ~ Martin Wellings led a fine walking tour of Hampstead Garden Suburb – with its nationally famous, Grade I-listed Free Church – and nearby Golders Green, where members visited the Roman Catholic and Unitarian churches and concluded with a chapel tea at the combined Methodist and United Reformed chapel.
Wirral (27 April 2024) ~ Roger Holden arranged a superb coach tour around the peninsula’s finest places of worship of the period 1865–1965. Seven were visited, including contrasting Quaker meeting houses, modernist Roman Catholic churches and two richly ‘churchy’ Congregational chapels endowed by W.H. Lever (later Lord Leverhulme) in the model village of Port Sunlight and its smaller companion Thornton Hough.
Salisbury (7 October 2023) ~ Matt Davis took members to the famous cathedral city to learn about its thriving religious life, spanning a wide range of traditions from Roman Catholic to Reformed Evangelical. Extensive historical and topographical details are given in the notes.
Brighton (15 October 2022) ~ Matt Davis led members around the rarely seen back-streets and busy medieval Lanes of ‘the Queen of Watering-Places’ on a tour of past and present religious meeting-places ancient and modern in this famously diverse city. The notes include topographical information and an extensive Bibliography.
Sale and Altrincham (25 September 2021) ~ The post-pandemic era of Chapels Society visits started with Roger Holden’s excellent tour of these prosperous Cheshire suburbs, now firmly part of Greater Manchester (indeed, the visit combined a walking tour with the use of Metrolink trams) but retaining a separate identity. Quaker, Unitarian, Roman Catholic, Congregational (now non-denominational) and Baptist churches of various styles and dates were visited, and many others were seen during our walk.
Bristol and Kingswood including the New Room (28 October 2017) ~ David Dawson led a rich and rewarding visit reflecting the unfolding story of the New Awakening, and in particular the changing relationship between George Whitfield, John Wesley and John Cennick. David also prepared an An Atlas of Post-Reformation Places of Worship within the Central Area of the City of Bristol.
Leicester (8 October 2016) ~ Paul Griffiths led members on a visit to a number of important historic chapels in central Leicester and its surroundings, including the Unitarian ‘Great Meeting’ of 1708 and the intriguing ‘Pork-Pie Chapel’.
Cleethorpes and Grimsby (12 September 2015) ~ Rod and Margaret Ambler led a fascinating tour of Grimsby, which developed as a port in the C19 and its neighbour, Cleethorpes, a well known residential and seaside resort. Rod also prepared a detailed Bibliography listing his sources.
Loughborough and Charnwood Forest (27 June 2015) ~ Peter and Moira Ackers arranged a gentle walking tour of Loughborough town followed by a coach tour of Charnwood Forest taking in the gentle rolling countryside of Leicestershire and some of the oldest rocks in the world as well as a few delightful chapels. Additional information about the churches and chapels in Quorn can be found on the Quorn Museum website.
Edinburgh (02 and 04 May 2015) ~ Tim Grass and Sara Crofts selected a variety of chapels from a range of Nonconformist traditions in their introduction to the old and new towns of Auld Reekie.
Bowland and Pendle (13 September 2014) ~ Chris Skidmore introduced members to the delights of the Forest of Bowland with this tour of Lancashire valleys and their charming chapels.
London (12 July 2014) ~ Chris Skidmore prepared two excellent short self-guided walking tour of the City Road and Clerkenwell areas as a precursor to the AGM in Union Chapel.
Maidstone (26 April 2014) ~ Paul Gardner led members on a fascinating tour of the charming and occasionally quirky chapels in this bustling Kentish town.
Taunton & Mid Somerset (28 September 2013) ~ Peter Daniel and David Dawson arranged a tour through a landscape shaped by agricultural prosperity giving rise to a rich industrial heritage, which is manifest in the areas’s churches and chapels.
Harrogate and Pateley Bridge (22 September 2012) ~ David Quick treated the Society to some contrasting urban and rural Yorkshire gems and great hospitality.
Kidderminster, Bewdley and Stourbridge (14 April 2012) ~ Christopher Wakeling and David Watts explored the theme of the work, witness and heritage of Nonconformity in the industrial towns of North Worcestershire, a district which became a powerhouse for the iron, glass and carpet industries in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Henley (01 October 2011) ~ Chris Skidmore led a fascinating tour around this delightful part of the country.
South Buckinghamshire (17 April 2010) ~ Alan Petford put together a superb itinerary that saw a range of denominations represented in this very attractive county.
Newcastle upon Tyne (10 October 2009) ~ Nigel McMurray organised a comprehensive and stimulating visit to the many and varied chapels in this fine northern city.
Rutland (04 July 2009) ~ Nigel Webb prepared a topographical survey and bibliography relating to Protestant Nonconformists and Roman Catholics (post reformation) in Rutland.
Vale of the White Horse (16 May 2009) ~ Chris Skidmore put together a stimualting programme combining a tour to the Vale of the White Horse with a tour of the town chapels in Wallingford.
Canterbury (04 October 2008) ~ Paul Gardner led an excellent visit featuring many enchanting buildings with the Zoar Chapel being a particular highlight.