Lake Road Chapel, Keswick

Today I preached at Lake Road Chapel in Keswick. This is a Congregational Chapel like my own but is even older. It was founded at the time of Oliver Cromwell in 1654 and was first pastored by one of his soldiers called James Cave. A group of believers left the local parish church at Crosthwaite, claiming that people should gather together because of shared faith in Christ, not because they were just born in the parish. 
 
When the Commonwealth ended, the restored Anglican Church and Cavalier Parliament viciously persecuted these early Congregationalists, forcing them to meet after dark in woods and quarries. Their pastors were hounded, facing huge fines and imprisonment. Truly, the world was not worthy of them.
 
The church now meets without harassment in their prominent town centre premises comprising of nineteenth century chapel and refurbished hall. They value good preaching and sing wonderfully.