THE DERELICT MISCELLANY

The story of Nonconformism in Kingswood began in 1739 when George Whitefield, an evangelical Anglican minister, invited John Wesley to join him in open air preaching to the coal miners of that district. Wesley and Whitefield established the first Kingswood Band of Methodists, numbering about 142 and soon afterwards Whitefield began raising funds for a school and chapel in the town which was opened the same year with John Cennick as master and licenced preacher. However by 1740-1, Wesley and Whitefield had begun to differ on matters of doctrine, the former establishing a largely Arminian Methodist doctrine while the latter chose a form of Methodism that was largely Calvinist.

As a result of this split, Cennick joined Whitefield in establishing the New Society Room in 1741. The building housed a congregation of 52, all of whom had seceded from the Kingswood Band of Methodists. Whitefield's instructions were "not to build too large or too handsome as we may be required to move our tents" an allusion to the Biblical tabernacle mentioned in Exodus 25-27 and the fact that congregations at this time were often peripatetic. In 1745 there was another schism which saw Cennick join the Moravian Church: a battle ensued over ownership of the New Society Room which culminated in Cennick and his followers being forced out in 1748. The Moravians built a new church on the other side of the High Steeet in 1756-7 while the Room remained with the Calvinist Methodists and became known as Whitefield's (sometimes Whitefield, Whitfield or Whitfield's) Tabernacle. It was refurbished and extended in 1802 and 1834 but had proven inadequate by the 1850s and a large gothic chapel, known colloquially as the Masters Church was built to the west by architect Henry Masters under pastor John Glanville; the old Tabernacle meanwhile became a school. Following Glanville's departure, a large part of the congregation joined the Congregationalist Church and the Tabernacle itself became part of the Congregational Union of England and Wales. In 1974 the congregation became part of the United Reformed Church but by this time attendances were falling: the last service was held in the Victorian building on 16th October 1983. A much reduced congregation met in the old Tabernacle until 1992, when the remaining members joined with the United Church on Regent Street.

The site is currently owned by a development trust which is having drawn-out negotiations with South Gloucestershire Council over plans to renovate and convert the buildings to flats and a restaurant