Background

The Old Chapel is one of the oldest buildings in Upminster dating back to 1800, before the construction of Upminster Windmill but still with connections to James Nokes who funded both the building of the Windmill and the Old Chapel and was a member of the Chapel congregation. The Abrahams family who worked the Mil were also members of the Chapel congregation It was built as a ‘Protestant Dissenters’ chapel and was used up until 1912 by the Congregational Church who moved into new and biger premises in Station Road just before the start of World War 1. A Plymouth Brethren congregation took over the premises in 1912 and occupied and used the building until 1988.

The Sacred Heart of Mary Girls’ School acquired the Old Chapel in 2005 when it was in a state of dilapidation and on the English Heritage ‘At Risk’ Register. From the date of acquisition up until 2011 when renovation works began, the Project Manager appointed from the Senior Leadership Team at the School, Stuart Beck, worked with personnel at the London Office of Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and with professional consultants to put together a bid for an HLF grant of almost £700k and to raise a further £400k from other sources. Renovation work started in 2011 and the building was officially opened in March 2013 as a chapel for the School as a worshipping community as well as a historical resource and venue for local community activity.

Further information about the history and pictures of the Chapel is given in the final section below

Friends of the Old Chapel

The Friends of Upminster Old Chapel (the Friends) was formed just before renovation work started in the early 2010s as part of the Activity Plan approved and supported by HLF. The Friends have a committee that organises various events in support of the Chapel, its heritage as well as the general promotion of topics of local, historical interest. The main work of the committee is focused on raising funds for the upkeep of the Old Chapel. Newsletters are produced as and when needed and a monthly ‘tea and talk’ programme is organised. The Friends also administer the membership list and membership currently costs £10 a year.

To contact the Friends, please use the following e-mail address [email protected]

The latest newsletter produced by the Friends is provided here:

GENERAL NEWSLETTER

We are taking this opportunity to share some information with you for the beginning
of 2026.
We are now in our fifth year of using Roope Hall as our ‘temporary’ meeting place,
while the building movement at the Old Chapel is monitored, in the hope that a
decision will soon be taken on how best to address the issues. We will have an
update about any progress at the AGM in June. However, we should acknowledge
how fortunate we have been to have the use of Roope Hall and its convenient
location.
Meanwhile, we are focused on supporting the Old Chapel.
Thank you to all members and visitors for your support of the Teas & Talks
programme – the surplus funds generated go towards the refurbishment and upkeep
of the Old Chapel.
Teas & Talks February 2026 to May 2026 (other months’ speakers being booked – details
to follow)

Wednesday 11th February 2026: Famous hoaxes from 18 th
to 20 th century

Jef Page freelance lecturer and museum guide highlights the
wide variety of hoaxes of this period.

Wednesday 11th March 2026: A funny thing happened on
my way to the Old Bailey

Chris Truran a former scene of crimes officer with the
Metropolitan Police relates how the ineptitude of criminals led
to their downfall

Wednesday 8th April 2026: A Walk down Cable Street – An
East End Story

Ian Kirby a City of London guide recounts the history of Cable
Street which saw murders, riots and much more.

Wednesday 13th May 2026: The Bletchley Park Girls

Ellen Owen will tell us the story of the 7,500 women of
Bletchley Park from their initial recruitment, backgrounds, their
roles, routine and the secrecy of their work.

Doors Open at 10.00 am
Start at 10.30 am
£2 supplement for members
£4 admission for non-members
Refreshments served after the talk at about 11.30
Thank you
The Committee
Email: [email protected]

Membership Fees 2025/2026

Annual membership fee £10 will be due on 1^st April and can be paid at the Teas & Talks meetings in April (cash or cheque) or direct to our bank account:

              Account name:              Friends of the Old Chapel

              Sort Code:                      30-14-24

              Account number:         22636468

              Amount:                         £10

              Reference                       Please quote your surname and post code

Many thanks to members who renew annually by standing order – this is appreciated.

The Committee

Email: [email protected]