Wade Street Church

The roots of Wade Street Church go back over 400 years with the current building opened in 1812. It is still standing today and the outside is more or less unchanged.

Lichfield, Staffordshire

Opening times

Church office is open from 10am to 12 noon Monday to Friday.

Address

Wade Street
Lichfield
Staffordshire
WS13 6HL

It is a listed building because it is one of the few examples of Georgian nonconformist chapels in the midlands. Within three years it was so full that a gallery was added at the back. In 1824 the side galleries were added and the original box pews (which were rented out to rich people until the 1920s) are still in place on one side.

In 1808 a very strange incident occurred. William Salt preached a sermon at a morning service and afterwards one of the people from the church, a 19 year old tailor's apprentice called Henry Fairbrother, committed suicide.

The people of the city, who didn't like the Congregationalists anyway, were enraged and assumed that it was William Salt's fault. So they went to lynch him. The magistrates were called and William said he would preach the sermon again to show that there was no reason to blame him. In a packed courtroom, William satisfied everyone that the sermon was not the cause of Henry's death, and some people were so impressed that they gave money for the Congregationalists to build their own church. However the sermon later became known as the Killing Sermon.

  • Social heritage stories

  • Glorious furnishings

  • Enchanting atmosphere

  • Captivating architecture

  • Wifi

  • Train station within 250m

  • Steps to enter the church or churchyard

  • Ramp or level access available on request

  • Parking within 250m

  • On street parking at church

  • Non-accessible toilets in church

  • Level access to the main areas

  • Bus stop within 100m

  • Accessible toilets nearby

  • Accessible toilets in church

  • Senior Citizens lunch weekly. Take a Break weekly home made soup and chat. Toddlers and carers group twice weekly. Messy Church monthly. Youth activities. Film afternoon fortnightly. Casserole meal weekly. Many other activities, please check website.

  • Local Ecumenical Partnership

Contact information

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