4. Opening of first church buildings 1822

On a piece of land bought from a Mr William Whyman (blacksmith) on 13 April 1822, the first building was erected.

The earliest Church Minute Book of the Barrow Baptist Church is dated 1907, however, the late R H Bennett Senior, who was Clerk to the Parish Council in his day related to me how the Church met in a barn opposite to where the present Church is situated.

The picture below shows the first building -later becoming the Sunday School rooms when the present main church building was completed in the year 1876. It was demolished in 1926 to make room for the present Sunday School rooms.

Building of Present Church Buildings 1876

On 9 November 1872, on a piece of land bought from William Hickling, the building was erected.

We are very indebted to the late Mr F C Atton of 'Clifton House' 16 Caledonian Road, Retford, for sending on the 26 July 1948 to our late Church Secretary, Mr J Frier, a copy of the report of the opening of our present Chapel building in the year 1876 as reported in the General Baptist Magazine.

It reads as follows:

"The new General Baptist Chapel at Barrow on Soar was opened on Easter Monday, 17 April, by Rev J C Jones MA a public tea-meeting being held in the afternoon. With the profits of the tea, the collections, and a few donations from friends unable to attend, there was realised the sum of £79 10s. On the following Sunday, after sermons by Rev I Preston £21 12s 6d was added to the building fund, and on the next Sunday Mr T W Marshall preached and a further sum of £26 16s was realised, the total at these opening services being £127 18s 6d. The chapel, which is regarded as an ornament to the village adjoins the old chapel, (which has been converted into two capital school rooms) was built by Mr H Black of Barrow, from designs by Mr W E Cooke of Quorndon. The total cost including site, which is surrounded by a brick wall, alteration of old chapel, and erection of ministers vestry and suitable out-offices, is about £1200 of which some £500 is yet needed.

Baptist in the other. On each side in front is a window, thirteen feet by two feet nine inches, set back in double reveal. There is a stone string course above all the windows and up the gable, also on the brick cornice with stone brackets.

Entering the lobby, a door on each side opens into the chapel, which at once conveys a pleasing impression. The inside measure of fifty feet by twenty five feet, and twenty four feet up to the plate. The principles are circular reaching down the wall about seven feet and resting on stone corbels. It is ceiled under the rafters and the heavy timbers are visible. In the ceiling are four ornamental ventilators. A capital gallery, fifteen feet deep approached from the top school room, accommodates the choir and harmonium, besides a large number of hearers. The chapel will seat 350 persons. The heating apparatus by Vipan and Head-ley of Leicester, is so arranged as to warm all alike, or any one of the three rooms. The benches, or stalls, which are all alike, are open, are of best pitch pine, as is also the pulpit platform, with cast iron scroll work panels, by Mcfarren of Glasgow. There is a good baptistry, covered with Kamptulicon, surrounded by red and white quarries. An elegant thirty two light corona of gas suspends from the ceiling, and the gas fittings are elegant and effective. The zeal and liberality of the Barrow friends are worthy of all praise, for they have erected a sanctuary which reflects the utmost credit on all concerned.'

We are very pleased to be able to include this description of the church building on opening day.