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Summary

Site of former Salem Baptist Chapel, Town Drove, Quadring

Full description

PRN 24034
A Salem Baptist (Particular Baptist) Chapel is depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition map of 1891.{1}
The chapel and associated burial ground is depicted on the Ordnance Survey County Series map of 1905. At this time, the chapel is described as disused.{2}
The chapel appears to have been demolished by 1956, as it does not appear on the Ordnance Survey 6 inch map of this date.{3}
A site visit to the chapel site was undertaken in the spring of 2006. The chapel has long been demolished, but the graveyard remains. Photographs were taken of some of the gravestones and grave slabs.{4}
The chapel and graveyard appears to have been established in the early 19th century. It was established by Francis Smith, a Baptist who separated from the rest of his family to become a Salem Baptist, and created the cemetery for his and his family's future use. A chapel was built plus a baptismal bath in the open to the west of the burial ground. The foundation date for the chapel appears to be 1814, the date provided by a lintel fragment recorded in the burial ground. A group of headstones belonging to the Smith family, including that of the founder, date to the period 1844 to 1885. Three grave slabs or vaults are also present; these belong to members of the Sharpe family who may or may not have been related to the Smith family. The latest gravestones are dedicated to Theodora and Lydia Smith who died in 1940 and 1943 respectively. A number of unreadable headstones and burial mounds without headstones were also noted.{4}
In 1972 the cemetery was being cared for by the farmers who owned the adjacent farmland. There were eight marked graves and two unmarked ones. The baptistry, a deep pit approached by two steps, was still intact at this time. {5}

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1888-1891, 25 Inch County Series Map - First Edition, TF23SW (Map). SLI10020.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1902-06, 25 Inch County Series Map - Second Edition, TF23SW (Map). SLI3566.

<3> OS, 1956, OS 6 INCH SERIES, TF23SW (Map). SLI3659.

<4> 2007, Verbal communication regarding the former Salem Baptist Chapel and graveyard, Quadring, - (Verbal Communication). SLI11294.

<5> 1972, 'Farmers' years of care for cemetery' in The Spalding Guardian, 3 Nov.1972, p.9 (Article in Serial). SLI12557.

Monument Types

• BAPTIST BURIAL GROUND (Post Medieval to Modern - 1800 AD? to 2050 AD)
• BAPTISTERY (Post Medieval to Late 20th Century - 1814 AD to 1980 AD?)
• PARTICULAR BAPTIST CHAPEL (Post Medieval to Edwardian - 1814 AD to 1905 AD)

Associated Finds

• GRAVESTONE (Post Medieval - 1800 AD? to 1891 AD)
• LINTEL (Post Medieval to Edwardian - 1814 AD to 1905 AD)
• GRAVE SLAB (Post Medieval - 1865 AD to 1890 AD)

Associated Events

• Site visit to the graveyard of a former Salem Baptists Chapel, Quadring

Sources and further reading

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.