Extract from 'An Inventory of Non Conformist Chapels and Meeting-houses in Central England'
Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. Buckinghamshire, 1986
(76) Congregational (SP 891463)
Services commenced in the late 18th century through the efforts of the minister at Newport Pagnell, Rev William Bull, who is said to have fitted up a barn for the purpose about 1782. The present chapel, registered 6 September 1822, is of brick and slate. The N front, of three bays, is Flemish bond with glazed headers and stone dressings, has a central doorway with blind circular window above and shaped tablet in the pediment inscribed 'SHERRINGTON CHAPEL 1822'; on each side is a lower two-storied cottage with a hipped roof. The interior which has no gallery was refitted in the late 19th Century (URC).
Extract from the 'Proceedings and Report of the North Bucks Association of Independent Churches and Ministers' from 1819 to 1844
This meeting took place annually. The following references to Sherington are made in the minutes.
Held at Buckingham July 13th 1819
'At Sherington, two miles from Newport, on the Olney Road, is a Meeting House, in which there is public worship every Lord's-day, and once a week on other days. It will hold about two hundred persons, and is well attended. There is also in this village a Sewing School, in which forty girls are taught on a Saturday afternoon'
Sixth annual meeting June 8 1824
'Sabbath evening mainly by students of the Newport Pagnell Evangelical Institution.'
June 7 1825
'Missionary prayer meetings are held on the first Monday of the Month.'
1826
'61 church members at Crawley/Stoke/Sherington'
1830 to 1844
The minutes for these years give the size of the attendance:
| Date | Number |
| 1830 | 34 Sunday scholars |
| 7 June 1831 | 35 Sunday scholars |
| 1832 | 70 |
| 1833 | 74 |
| 1834 | 87 |
| 1835 | 73 |
| 1836 | 52 |
| 1837 | 57 |
| 1838 | 64 |
| 1839 | 68 |
| 1840 | 60 (A Revival Meeting is also mentioned in the Minutes) |
| 1841 | 70 |
| 1842 | 60 |
| 1843 | 73 |
| 1844 | 55 |
Buckinghamshire Return of the Census of Religous Worship 1851
This census contains the following entry for Sherington Chapel: (Note: a copy of this census was published in Bucks Record Society No 27, 1991, edited by Edward Legg)
387. Independent Chapel 153/77
Erected: 1822
Whether Separate: Yes
Whether Exclusive: Yes
Free Sittings: 200
Other Sittings: 40
On the 30th March
Morning Sunday Scholars: 28
Afternoon Sunday Scholars: 28
Evening General Congregation: 62
Dated: 31 March
Signed: Anthony Rose Manager, near Newport Pagnell
Grade 2 Listed Building
On 27 February 1984, the Chapel was included in the Department of the Environment's List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest for the District of Milton Keynes under Section 54 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971. The description is as follows:
SP 89 46, SHERINGTON CROFTS END, 11/153
Sherington Chapel and attached cottages each side. - II Non conformist chapel, dated 1822.
Chequer brick, some stone dressings slate roof. North front of 2 storeys, 3 bays. Arched central 6 panel flush double door, round stone panel over. Outer bays have arched 2-light windows with interlacing leading. Door and windows have stone arches with key blocks. Dentilled pediment with date panel "Sherington Chapel 1822" Main part flanked by lower 2 storey wings with similar brick, hipped slate roofs, each having one bay of similar but smaller leaded and arched windows. Dentilled eaves continue along sides of building.
Closure
The Congregational Church joined together with the Presbyterians and became the United Reform Church on 5th October 1972 .
Services continued at Sherington until the late 1980's, when the Chapel was closed. Click on the thumbnails to see larger versions of the photos taken after the last service.
Milton Keynes Borough Council granted Detailed Planning Consent (MK/00697/89) and Listed Building Consent (ML/00725/89) on 22nd January 1990 for the conversion of the building into 2 x 1-bedroomed flats and 3 x 2-bedroomed flats
On 3rd May 1990, the United Reform Church sold the property for £121,500 through an auction by John Drake & Co. Click on the thumbnails to see larger copies of the auction brochure.
Archive Photos
Click on the thumbnails to see larger versions of the archive photos of the Chapel.
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