BEFORE THE
FIRE
THE FIRE ITSELF RISEN FROM THE
ASHES
The
religious life of Saltash goes back in history too far for us to explore except
to note that it would have been centred from about the 11th century
at St. Nicholas with St. Stephens added about the l3th century.
The
I8th Century produced some men of outstanding courage and ability, who have left
their mark on the history of England. Among these are Wilberforce, Wilkes,
Wesley, Raikes & Carey. It is not surprising therefore, that the conscience
of the people was aroused, for although smuggling and law- breaking was rife
there was a distinct movement towards the improvement of moral standards. So
although the first Baptist fellowship seems to have been founded in the reign of
Elizabeth 1, it was not until about 1750 that the first Baptist dissenters
crossed the River Tamar to bring non-conformity to Saltash. The followers of
John Wesley soon followed and by 1792 they also were holding open-air meetings.
The
way of dissenters was not easy for they met with much opposition. In 1790 a
group of Baptist evangelists, arriving by boat in Saltash, were stoned by
locals, but they were determined people. They
would have begun by meeting in the homes of sympathisers, or any available
building. By 1791, their efforts were rewarded, when Rev. Isaiah Birt and Rev.
Philip Gibbs of Plymouth Dock acquired a plot of land in Silver St. Thus with
non-conformity established in the Town in the name of the Baptist community of
Protestant Dissenters, the first chapel was built. It is commemorated on a stone
erected by Isaiah Birt’s son and also by the graves of his wife and family.
These may be seen on the South wall of the present churchyard. In 1797 the
Minister of the Baptist Tabernacle in Plymouth, the Rev. Isaac Taylor, took on
the additional task of being our first Pastor. Non-conformism
was spreading and in l807 the first Wesley Chapel opened. At this time the Vicar
of St. Stephens, Rev. John Dawson, was claiming that Saltash ‘abounded with
dissenters’!
By
the 1860’s the first church was in a state of decay and had to be demolished.
In 1865 it was replaced on the present site with a new building shown above.
This housed the town’s Baptist Fellowship for over a hundred years. The
architect was Mr. J. Ambrose of Plymouth with Mr. Shaddock as the Saltash
contractor. The foundation stone, laid by Mr.
Jeffery of Liverpool in April 1865 can be seen in the wall of the current
church close to the entrance.
Many
other interesting gravestones are to be found in the graveyard. These include a
man whose death is commemorated on three separate stones – one wonders which
wife had him in the end?
The
present Church was dedicated and opened in March 1992 following the destruction
of the second church by fire on Christmas Day 1987, following a break-in. The
intruder probably started it while trying to keep warm! The dramatic photograph
above showing the ferocity of the fire, was taken by a local teenager using a
camera given him as a Christmas present that very morning! | 