Historic England recognises ‘unsung’ beauty of Meeting houses
Eleven Meeting houses have been granted listed status, and a further six have been given greater protection, on the recommendation of Historic England
Eleven Quaker Meeting houses have been granted listed status by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on the advice of Historic England.
The listings include Meeting houses from Cumbria to Oxfordshire, Worcestershire to London, and follow a national survey of Meeting houses still in use or in Quaker ownership that was commissioned by Historic England in partnership with the Religious Society of Friends.
Six of the oldest Meeting houses have been given greater protection and recognition by having their listed status upgraded. These include Hertford, which has been upgraded to Grade 1 in recognition of its ‘exceptional historic significance’. Built in 1670, it is the world’s oldest example of a Meeting house still in continuous use.
New listings include the Meeting house in Cartmel designed by architect of the Natural History Museum, Alfred Waterhouse; the seventeenth century Aylesbury Meeting House; and the 1970s’ concrete Meeting house in London’s Blackheath.
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: ‘Quaker Meeting houses are precious pockets of calm in an otherwise hectic world. They are a largely unsung group of fascinating and surprisingly varied buildings that reflect the history, attitudes and ethos of the Quaker movement. While many still serve their Quaker communities, their historic charm and flexible spaces are also enjoyed by lots of other groups, visitors and passersby and they deserve to be protected for future generations.’
Ingrid Greenhow, who clerked the Quaker Meeting Houses Heritage Project, said: ‘I am delighted that Quaker places of worship are recognised as important elements in our national heritage. It is particularly heartening to see examples of nineteenth- and twentieth-century Meeting houses being listed. Our Meeting houses continue to be centres for our faith and witness today.’
The listings are part of Historic England’s work to improve understanding, recording and protection of places of worship.
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