The Belvoir Street Chapel, also known as the Pork Pie Chapel, and renamed Hansom Hall, was a Baptist church in Leicester, England.[1]

Hansom Hall
Map
52°37′56″N 1°07′56″W / 52.6322985°N 1.1322072°W / 52.6322985; -1.1322072 (Hansom Hall)@
LocationLeicester, England, UK
History
Former name(s)Belvoir Street Chapel
Statusadaptive reuse
Architecture
Heritage designationGrade II listed
Designated5 January 1950
Architect(s)Joseph Hansom
Completed1845

Leicester in the 19th century was known as the ‘Metropolis of Dissent’ with a large number of non-conformist chapels and churches.[2] There have been numerous places of worship of various denominations, including the Baptists.[3][4][5] Numerous chapels were built from the 17th century, many in the 19th century.[6][7]

The chapel on Belvoir Street in Leicester City Centre was designed by Joseph Hansom and built in 1845. It was sometimes called the 'Pork Pie Chapel' on account of its resemblance to a pork pie.[1][8] It became a Grade II listed building (1361372) on 5 January 1950.[9] The building was sold in 1947 after the congregation had united with that of the Charles Street Chapel. Renamed for its architect, it is used for adult education[1] as part of the Leicester Vaughan College.[10]

See also

edit
 
Hansom Hall and former library are part of college

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Belvoir Street Chapel - Story of Leicester". www.storyofleicester.info. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  2. ^ Ruddy, Austin J. (6 February 2018). "Renovating a great survivor of the 'metropolis of dissent'". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  3. ^ Moore, Andre (2008). Where Leicester Has Worshipped. ISBN 978-0-9533628-2-0.
  4. ^ "Faith & Belief - Story of Leicester". www.storyofleicester.info.
  5. ^ "Mapped - University of Leicester Archheology and Ancient History Mapping Faith and Place". swww2.le.ac.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2020.[dead link]
  6. ^ Elliott, Malcolm. "Belief and Disbelief in Victorian Leicester" (PDF). Retrieved 9 March 2020. Clearly the Baptists in Leicester were unusually strong ... Charles Street was built in 1830 and the Pork Pie chapel in Belvoir Street in 1845.
  7. ^ "The ancient borough: Protestant Nonconformity: A History of the County of Leicester: Volume 4". Victoria County History. 1958. pp. 390–394. Retrieved 9 March 2020. 1601
  8. ^ "Pork Pie Chapel (Leicester) - Colin Crosby Heritage Tours". www.crosbyheritage.co.uk.
  9. ^ "Hansom Hall, City of Leicester - 1361372 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  10. ^ Dryden, Fiona (27 October 2017). "College will replace Vaughan Centre of Lifelong Learning". leicestermercury. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
edit