39 Newington Green: The Unitarian Church erected 1708

Submitted by Admin on 27 February, 2008 - 23:28
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39 Newington Green: The Unitarian Church erected 1708

Unitarian Church

39 Newington Green London N16 9PR

Grade 2 Listed Building

This is the oldest Non-conformist place of worship still in use in Britain, having been built in 1708 at a cost of £200 by Edward Harrison, a goldsmith. Originally built for Presbyterians, it became a Unitarian Chapel towards the end of the eighteenth century.

The Church has been linked to a number of extremely influential thinkers, dissenters and writers, including its most famous minister Dr Richard Price, the radical author and early feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, and the poets Samuel Rogers and Anna Laetitia Barbauld. You may still find Mary Wollstonecraft's and Anna Barbauld's pews amongst the lovely old wooden box pews in the Church.

The fascinating history of the Church and the Newington Green area is discussed in 'The Village That Changed the World' by Alex Allardyce, published by the Newington Green Action Group.

The Church is now home to a vibrant and active Unitarian community. The minister is Rev. Andrew Pakula.

2008