BAPTISMS IN NEWNHAM (Parish Records)

by Roselle , Friday, January 11, 2019, 12:05 (2136 days ago) @ Jefff

Like you Roger I can't help much either. Unlike some of the churches in the inner Forest which were built in the late 1800s, St Peters originates long this, so no clues there regarding Baptisms in 1880. Here's a very extensive history of St Peters, which tells us the fire took place a year after that Giddings baptism, so again no clues in that respect.

"The church of ST PETER, so called in 1310, originally stood on the Nab by the river's edge. In the 14th century it was replaced, on a new site at the top of the town, by a church that was largely rebuilt in 1875; the new building was mostly destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1881."

From https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol10/pp46-49

Based on this history I suspect the Baptism took place at the "later" aka current Church site, but it's really just a guess, hopefully the site Admin can help clarify.

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I'm sure this question of "Church or Chapel" has been asked on the forum in the past, I know I wondered when I first saw the word "chapel" used when I thought the word should be Church (albeit based only on my limited personal CoE experience and not any expert knowledge!), but that was before this site made me aware of the huge number of non-Conformist etc chapels that were once prolific through-out the area.
However I cannot now find that old post again. I believe I'm right in saying the word "Chapels" is used in the PRs Database as a "catch-all" for both "Parish Churches and Non Conformist Chapels", and I think that any cases that differ from this are highlighted within the transcription of the PR concerned.

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Searching the net for "old Chapel Newnham" suggests it is indeed now a private residence. Hopefully this is the same building Ros refers to ?
http://churchdb.gukutils.org.uk/GLS897.php

If so, judging by the history on that link, I'd say this Chapel is referred to within this site's PRs as "Newnham & Blakeny Tabernacle", thus leaving those PRs described as "Newnham" to be at St Peters.

Thank you so much for all the information. I also wondered about the word "Chapels" being used for both Parish Churches and N.C. Chapels. After more research, I now realise the Old Chapel I was querying, also featured in your link, was for non conformist worshippers. It looks as if my grandfather was baptised in St. Peter's Church after all.