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Winslow Nonconformists, chapels and other denominations
Winslow has had a strong nonconformist tradition since the 17th century, and local politics in the late 19th century seem largely to have been based on a Church / Chapel divide.
- Read more about the early Baptists and Keach's Meeting House (built by the General Baptists in 1695, later used by the Particular Baptists who believed in the salvation of the elect)
- The house of William George in Shipton was registered for public worship at the Epiphany 1719 Quarter Sessions, but the denomination is unknown.
- Read the Reminiscences of the Old Baptist Meeting House compiled by Thomas Matthews in 1872 (valuable for the account of events in his and his father's lifetimes)
- The Baptist Tabernacle was built in 1864 for a new Baptist congregation
- Read about the Independent Chapel, later the Congregational Church (1816-1989)
- Religious Census, 1851 has returns for Baptists and Congregationalists
- Read about the attempt to establish the Salvation Army (1888-92) at a base in Sheep Street
There was also a short-lived Wesleyan Methodist group which was established in 1868 in Keach's Meeting House. The Methodist Recorder reported in April 1869 that a "preaching place" had been opened and in June 1869 that a society had been formed at Winslow.
1871: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 3 Oct
CONCERT.- In aid of Winslow Wesleyan Chapel building fund there was, on the evening of Wednesday, a concert of sacred music (vocal and instrumental), in the large room of the Bell Hotel, Winslow, given by the members of the Stewkley Wesleyan choir, conducted by Mr. Griffin. There was a large and highly respectable attendance, including a large number of visitors from the surrounding neighbourhood. The performers gave the highest satisfaction.
There was another concert at The Bell in Jan 1872 (Bicester Herald, 12 Jan). Later they had a chapel in Monkey Alley to the east of the High Street (see Rose Cottages). It was marked (at Keach's Meeting House) on the 1880 Ordnance Survey map, and baptisms of Winslow Methodists are recorded in 1871 and 1875. The Buckingham Express reported a marriage on 10 Oct 1874 "at the Primitive Methodist Chapel at Winslow by the Rev. Geo. Fowler, William Tomes to Jane Webb". It is listed in the Returns of Accommodation provided in Wesleyan Methodist Chapels (1875, England South and Wales p.15) as being in the Buckingham circuit and having a capacity of 20. According to A.J. Clear (Buckingham Advertiser, 27 Feb 1932), the building was previously used as a school by Thomas Piper. After the Methodist chapel folded, the building was used by some Strict Baptists until the death of Richard Gibbs (1878), after which it was demolished to build Rose Cottages.
Quakers
There were individual Quakers in Winslow:
- In 1668 Joseph Eliot of Winslow married Abigail Richardson of Sherington (a Quaker stronghold) in a Quaker wedding at Turvey Park, Beds.
- In 1695 the vicar baptised Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph and Mary Collins, and in 1697 Joan daugher of William Furth. In each case he wrote tremuli at the end of the entry in the register, apparently indicating that the father was a Quaker.
- In 1803, Joseph Dean, son of William and Katharine Soden of Winslow, "Baker NB not in membership" was baptised at the Quaker meeting house in Buckingham.
At the Bucks Quarter Sessions in Oct 1690, "The house of Robert Uding of Winslow was registered as a public meeting house". The Baptists already had a meeting-house, so it is possible that this was for Quakers, but there are no further references to it. Buckingham and (briefly) Nash are the nearest places which had regular Quaker meetings.
Roman Catholics
St Alban's Roman Catholic Chapel opened in 1948 in a wing of Winslow Hall, and closed in 2016. Roman Catholic services are now held in Winslow parish church.
The Church of England's evangelical answer to the Salvation Army (founded 1882) briefly met in Winslow with the support of the vicar:
1886: Bicester Herald, 11 June
THE CHURCH ARMY AT WINSLOW.- The services in the Boys’ School, Winslow, have come to a somewhat abrupt termination, in consequence of the school committee refusing to any longer allow the use of the school for the meetings.