A History of Kingswood Meeting House

Kingswood Meeting House in Packhorse Lane, Hollywood (Wythall), Worcestershire, is one of the oldest Nonconformist places of worship in the Birmingham area. Its origins date to 1708-1709, making it over three centuries old as a religious community. The congregation today is part of the Unitarian tradition and remains active in worship and community life.

Origins in the Early Eighteenth Century

The chapel was founded during a period of intense religious and political upheaval in England. Following the Restoration and subsequent religious legislation, many dissenting preachers sought locations outside the control of the established Church. The Birmingham area became a centre for Nonconformist worship because it was less affected by some of the restrictions imposed by the Five Mile Act.

In 1708, a group of local dissenters acquired a secluded site at Dark Lane, Hollywood. A lease was granted by Josiah Bassett to seventeen trustees for the nominal rent of one peppercorn, and a Meeting House was erected on a field known as Capp Field. The chapel officially opened in 1709.

The Tory Riots of 1715

The early congregation soon experienced political violence. During the Tory Riots of 1715, the Meeting House suffered damage from opponents of dissenting religion. Contemporary accounts record that a rioter named Dollox was involved in attacks on the chapel. Following the disturbances, he was tried and executed under the Riot Act, and for a period the chapel became locally known as “Dollox Chapel.”

Eighteenth-Century Growth

The congregation steadily strengthened during the eighteenth century. In 1723, Susannah Collins left an endowment of £50 to support the chapel’s minister, a significant sum at the time. Later, in 1768, a house known as The Porters’ was conveyed to the trustees and became the chapel parsonage. The property also accommodated pupils attending the associated Kingswood School.

Destruction During the Priestley Riots

One of the most dramatic events in the chapel’s history occurred in 1791. During the nationwide reaction against support for the French Revolution, the famous scientist and theologian Joseph Priestley and fellow dissenters became targets of mob violence. Rioting spread through Birmingham, and Kingswood Chapel and its parsonage at Dark Lane were burned down.

Because the lease on the Dark Lane site was nearing expiry, the trustees chose not to rebuild there. Fortunately, land had already been purchased in Packhorse Lane in 1776. A new chapel was therefore constructed on the present site and opened in 1793. The existing Meeting House largely dates from this rebuilding campaign.

Nineteenth-Century Development

Throughout the nineteenth century the chapel remained an important centre of worship and education for the local community.

Key developments included:

• 1798: The congregation made a notable donation to support widows and children affected by Nelson’s victory at the Battle of the Nile.
• 1859: The chapel received a licence to solemnise marriages.
• 1860: An organ recess was added to the building.
• 1869: The Sunday School had 109 pupils and 17 teachers, while the Day School had 60 scholars.

During the later nineteenth century the simple Presbyterian meeting house was remodelled in a more Gothic style, and a Sunday School building was added.

Architecture

The present building is a fascinating blend of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century work. Historic England records that the main chapel was built in 1793 as a Presbyterian meeting house and remodelled between about 1860 and 1874. The alterations added Gothic windows, a chancel, a prominent entrance frontage and later a Sunday School wing. The interior retains features from earlier phases, including the pulpit and panelled dado.

Owing to its architectural and historical importance, Kingswood Meeting House and Sunday School was designated a Grade II Listed Building on 11 March 1999.

Graveyard and Heritage

The chapel’s graveyard is an important historic resource. Burial records survive from the nineteenth century and include many notable local families connected with Birmingham and Worcestershire. The graveyard records have since been digitised and made available through the Kingswood Chapel Trust.

The site also has connections with prominent Birmingham families, including the Chamberlain, Nettlefold, and Greaves families, and contains memorials relating to both World Wars.

Kingswood Meeting House Today

Today Kingswood Meeting House continues as a Unitarian congregation and describes itself as “The Small Church with the BIG Heart.” While rooted in a heritage stretching back to 1708, it remains an active place of worship and community engagement.

The story of Kingswood Meeting House reflects the wider history of English religious dissent: persecution, endurance, rebuilding after destruction, and the continuing evolution of a faith community over more than 300 years.