HISTORY

Newcastle-under-Lyme Meeting House was built in 1717 and as such is the oldest non-conformist building in Newcastle. The first Meeting House was built around 1685 and was set on fire in 1715 by local townspeople who objected to non-conformity (see our History page). In those days it was known as Presbyterian. The word Unitarian was not commonly used until later in the eighteenth century.

The Meeting House was originally tucked away amongst terraced houses. But when the by-pass was built in the 1960's it emerged onto the new main road.

The Meeting House is located on Lower Street in Newcastle-under-Lyme. It does not have a postcode because there is no post-box but it is situated on the by-pass (A34) just south of the roundabout where the magistrates' court is and close to the next roundabout where St Giles' church is. It is opposite the new Lidl.

Our Meeting House has within it a chapel (or worship space), a first floor balcony room (which has an organ and looks out over the worship space) and a social room on the upper room. This top floor was added in the 1920s as the Sunday school expanded. Over the years we have had furniture and fittings donated - our stained glass window came from Whitchurch in the 1920s and the pews came from the Methodist Church in the 1950s.

We have been carrying out refurbishment over the last few years. As the Meeting House is a Grade II listed building we have to take a lot of advice and guidance when we are doing building works. We continue to make improvements to the fabric of the building, ensuring that the building is fit for our purposes and for generations to come.

We are the only active Unitarian Meeting House community in Staffordshire.

Please download the documents below for more information.