Discover Serenity: Kendal Unitarian Chapel
Kendal Unitarian Chapel is the oldest place of dissenting worship in Kendal and the only Unitarian chapel in Cumbria.
It has stood on the same site in the heart of Kendal since it was formed by Rev Caleb Rotheram in 1720, for a congregation that met on Fellside since around 1672.
The chapel was remodelled in 1880 and the ornate schoolroom was built in 1882.
The Unitarians believe that truth is best served where the mind and conscience are free. They affirm the worth and dignity of all people and their right to believe freely as their conscience and reason dictate, uniting in a spirit of mutual sympathy, co-operation, tolerance, respect and care.
Throughout its history, the Chapel has been dedicated to civil and religious liberty and has taken a leading role in the struggle for social justice both in Kendal and nationally.
In the 18th century, Rev Caleb Rotheram ran his famous Kendal Academy for dissenters to graduate at Scottish Universities.
The Chapel took a leading stand against slavery; established the first Kendal Dispensary and stood consistently for social justice and equality.
The Schoolroom
Attached to the Chapel is a beautiful Schoolroom, built in 1882, with its ornate domed ceiling, coloured glass, and intricate decorative plaster foliage, a much-valued gathering place in the town.
The Gardens
Kendal Unitarian Chapel is set in beautiful gardens in the heart of Kendal.
This is a secluded and tranquil place, hidden from the surrounding streets, protected by ornate gates and entered through a ginnel from Bransthwaite Brow.
Walk down the ginnel off Market Place and you come to the first garden where there used to be box tombs where there is now a grassy area, reserved for the ashes of members of the Chapel.
The garden is fragrant with roses of many colours.
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