The history of Monksthorpe Chapel

Monksthorpe Chapel, with the steps up from the Baptism Pool in the foreground, and the cottages under restoration on the Gunby Hall Estate, Lincolnshire — Monksthorpe Chapel | © National Trust Images/David Sellman

Monksthorpe Chapel is steeped in history and has been a place of worship for local Baptists for many years. Find out more about how and why it was built and visit the Second World War memorial in the graveyard.

The Chapel

Built in 1701, there are no records of what the chapel was like inside, but the interior would have been plain and unfurnished. The present decor is typical of the 1840s when the chapel was refurbished.

When the building was built, Baptists were persecuted, so the chapel was built in the form of a farmyard barn, with a thatched roof and an escape hatch above the pulpit, so the preacher could make a hurried exit on a horse tethered outside, if necessary.

The thatched roof was replaced with tiles in 1847, when the vestries were also added.

How the chapel was founded

Thomas Helwys founded the first Baptist Church on English soil at Spittalfields in 1612, just outside London.

By 1651, the Baptist cause had reached Lincolnshire and small groups were meeting for worship. As it was not safe for them to do so, they met in secret.

Travel from far and wide

A group formed and met at the Preaching Tree in the croft of Monksthorpe. They worshipped in the open air, while watch was kept from the nearby trees to give warning of the approach of the king's soldiers.

People walked to worship at Monksthorpe from many miles away, as this was at a time when it wasn’t safe to be anything other than a member of the established church.

Members of the congregation

The congregation at Monksthorpe was always intended to be non-residential, but in 1781 records to show that Monksthorpe had a membership of 81.

Since that time, numbers have fluctuated, as the location is in a sparsely populated area, making it harder to attract new members.

The door and sign at Monksthorpe Chapel, on the Gunby Hall Estate, Lincolnshire — The door and sign at Monksthorpe Chapel | © National Trust Images/David Sellman

In the grounds

Baptistry

The open air baptistry was filled by flooding in water from the dyke behind it, but due to drainage work the water-table is lower than it was, so the baptistry hasn’t been used since 1972.

War Memorial

In April 1944, an accident caused an explosion when a bomb was being prepared for loading onto a Lancaster Bomber and 10 lives were lost.

This happened close to the bomb dump on RAF Spilsby, next to the chapel grounds. The memorial has been placed as close to the bomb dump as possible, by placing it just inside the entrance to the driveway to the chapel.

Graves

Monksthorpe Chapel is steeped in history and has been a place of worship for local Baptists for many years.

Find out more about the people who are buried in the graveyard from the downloadable plan.

A timeline of Monksthorpe Chapel

1600s

Start of worship

Groups of Christians who emphasise the independence of the local church and baptism by immersion begin to meet, including at Burgh Le Marsh and Monksthorpe.