Open Days
The first, triumphant Open Day on Saturday 8 September 2007Click on any photo to see a larger version. Well over 1,000 people crossed the threshold of Bethesda Methodist Chapel in Hanley during the afternoon on Saturday 8 September to experience for the first time in 20 years the splendours of Bethesda’s vast galleried interior. For most of the afternoon, the queue to enter stretched right round along Albion Street and into the streets beyond. People's first view of the chapel was of the main facade (see right), repainted in the rich ochre colour that it acquired in the 1880s (at the same time as the ground floor of the chapel was re-pewed and new stained glass windows arrived). The rendered areas of the facade have been painted a darker colour and the external woodwork a rich mahogany. The natural stone columns of the portico have been cleaned, although further cleaning and restoration may be needed. The large crowd of enthusiasts in the chapel heard Rt Hon Alan Beith MP, Chairman of HCT, describe the repair and funding programme. Local member of Parliament Rt Hon Mark Fisher MP vigorously expressed his enthusiasm for the this scheme, and the Lord Mayor of Stoke, Cllr Bagh Ali, was also present in support. Jenny Freeman, Director of the Historic Chapels Trust, briefly outlined Bethesda’s history. (Alan and Jenny are shown on the right.) The Biddulph Male Voice Choir performed twice during the afternoon, giving the audience a real flavour of the potential for choral singing in the chapel.
Future Open DaysBethesda held further Open Days during the rest of 2007, and will now be open on the second Saturday of each month from April 2008 onwards:
Everyone is welcome! Proceeds of the Open Days will contribute towards the repair of the pulpit. |
