Page 15 - Frittenden Parish Mag - June - 2021

Historical Society Historical Society

The Chapel establishment, such as a Methodist chapel, More seriously, admission to Frittenden’s to worship. Later, in 1867, he also acquired the
appeared at Frittenden, It is likely (though
cottages adjoining the Frittenden Chapel for the
National Schools was conditional on attendance
at the Church Sunday School, and there are
sum of £140. He took possession on 15 April
unfortunately with little direct evidence, other
on Pound than perhaps the 1806 Tithe dispute, to support examples in the school records of children 1867, but five years later he recorded in his
diary:- “Saturday Morning about eight O’Clock
this) that the Providence Chapel may have made
who were expelled because their parents had
Silas Hickmott [son of Silas and nephew of
permitted them to go to chapel on Sunday,
some headway against the Established Church
Hill in the period of absentee rectors. This may have which was against the rules of the school. The James the diarist] came galloping to me & said
Mr Gurrs Shop was on Fire & Burning down
parents were severely reprimanded, and the
possibly retreated somewhat in the face
& thought My cottages must be burnt. On my
child sent home, until a few days later they were
of the competition provided by the arrival of
Phil Betts the energetic Revd. Edward Moore at St Mary’s recorded to have duly apologised and promised arrival the shop was burnt down. Owing to
the Ivy on the side of the shop the flames was
in 1839.
not to do it again.
Chmn. Frittenden Historical Society partly kept in and by the Providence of God
A rival did eventually appear when, in 1928, the If the aggregate figures reported in the 1851
Bethel was opened at the former wheelwrights at Religious Census are accepted, approximately the wind was in faver(sic) and by the quantity
of water thrown on the House it was burnt
While it is unlikely that non-conformity was Chanceford Corner. one-half of the village population attended but little. The Oast being attached to the Shop
a novelty in Frittenden, the appointment of The establishment of a chapel, whether featuring church or chapel on Census Sunday, and about was nearly consumed before the Engine [from
an absentee rector, Henry Hodges, in 1804 old or new dissent, was often seen as a challenge three-quarters of all attendances were at the Cranbrook] arrived.”
who then sought to impose/extend his right to to the authority of landowners and parsons. In Church, rather than the Providence Chapel.
tithes, may have proved to be the catalyst for Frittenden, it would appear that members of Moreover, services at the
a visible split with the Anglican church. The the Baptist congregation were not excluded Providence Chapel were
Strict Providence Chapel on Pound Hill was from participation in the parish’s welfare reported to be on ‘alternate
established just a year later, not in the nucleus institution, the Provident Society, although it is weeks’. In regard to education,
around the church, but nearly a quarter of a probably safe to presume that they would have dissent offered no direct
mile away in the vicinity of The Bell Inn and distanced themselves from drinking and other competition to the National
the forge. convivial activities, as evidenced on the Society’s Schools in respect of day-time
There are no records which throw any light on Club Day. provision, and in the absence
of a Baptist Sunday School
the success, or otherwise, of this chapel during There are, though, some minor signs of an meant that the Anglican
the first forty years of its existence. We know that undercurrent of mutual suspicion and division. church accounted too, for
it enjoyed the services of pastors coming into the Despite the generous sentiments expressed by all Sunday school provision. Providence Chapel, Frittenden, as it was until 1924
village to take services. Most were short-term Robert Mercer, churchwarden at St Mary’s, to In view of the presence,
or visiting ministers, however, between 1838 Edward Moore on behalf of ‘those belonging from 1839, of a vigorous and
and 1878 the pastor was Thomas Clifford, of to as those dissenting from the established progressive Anglican leadership stemming The whole of the property, chapel and cottages,
Winchet Hill, Goudhurst while Thomas Butler Church’ in 1848 upon the re-opening of from Edward Moore, it seems safe to say that were given in Trust for the Strict Baptist cause
was the pastor for nearly 30 years until his death the church, in 1860 James Hickmott felt the Frittenden - in contrast, it may be said, to certain on 26 July, 1876. This series of steps presumably
in 1913. John Kemp was Pastor at Bounds Cross necessity to record in his diary that:- this neighbouring parishes - was one in which it was helped to secure the position of the chapel and
for 52 years until his death in1932. During his evening Mr Cole the Curate of Frittenden call the Church, rather than the non-conformist shore up its future: it remained in existence
tenure, the Frittenden Chapel became a joint on us and discoursed with us about Baptism community, which enjoyed the greater influence throughout the twentieth century, but continued
pastorate with the Bounds Cross Chapel [itself and the Church and claimed authority over us in shaping the life of the village. By and large, the as a joint pastorate with the Bounds Cross
built by James Hickmott on part of Lashenden’s Shepherd. I denied his authority... non-conformist element in the village, though and was infrequently used for services. The
farmland] situated where the Frittenden, by no means of minuscule proportions, had a Cranbrook Almanac for 1911 shows that the
Biddenden, Smarden and Headcorn parish The continuing irritation over the church rate is relatively low profile. chapel was opened ‘every second Lord’s Day in
boundaries meet. also revealed in James Hickmott’s diary entry in each month and Thursday evening’.
March 1860 that :- this day Signed the Petition In 1846, the Providence Chapel was bought by
Somewhat unusually, the Chapel’s role, as a of the Tilden Chapel for the Abolition of James Hickmott of Lashenden, a parishioner of Today the Chapel and the adjacent cottage are
centre of non-conformity was unchallenged Church Rates. Frittenden but also a deacon of the Providence private residences.
in its early years, for no rival non-conformist Chapel at Tilden, Smarden, where he continued

14 Frittenden Parish Magazine June 2021 Frittenden Parish Magazine June 2021 15