Rugby, Leicestershire, Baptist Church

Rugby, Leicestershire, Baptist Church – [The following history is taken from “History of the Baptist Churches in Connection with the Leicestershire Association,” Baptist Magazine (1866), 13-14.] 

The Baptist church at Rugby had its origin in the evangelistic labours of the late Sir Egerton Leigh, Bart., towards the close of the last and the beginning of the present century. Sir Egerton having come to reside at Little Harborough, about the year 1793, opened his drawing-room for the preaching of the gospel; and in fine weather addressed large congregations beneath the shady branches of a tree in his park, the trunk of which still remains. The surrounding villages, most of which were in a state of the grossest spiritual darkness, shared in his benevolent exertions, and heard the gospel from his lips. Churchover, Brownsover, Hill-morton, Thurlaston, Draycott, Bretford, Wolston, Long Lawford, and Rugby were regularly visited by him; in doing which he not unfrequently had to encounter the fiercest opposition and bitterest persecution. A chapel was erected by him at Long Lawford, which was opened October 12th, 1796, on which occasion twenty-seven ministers were present. To this chapel a portion of land was also annexed as a burial-ground.

On the 9th of May, 1797, Sir Egerton was ordained at Holywell Mount Chapel, London, to an “itinerant ministry,” the ordination prayer being offered by Rev. Matthew Wilks, and the charge given by Rev. Rowland Hill. In 1803 the Baptist chapel at Rugby was built by Sir Egerton, and about a quarter of an acre of ground purchased for a minister's house and garden. The foundation stone, which was laid by Lady Leigh, was discovered in 1859, while the chapel was undergoing repairs and alterations. It was a slab-stone of about twelve inches by fifteen, on which was inscribed, “Foundation laid by Lady Leigh, 1803.” It now rest beneath the pulpit. On the erection of the chapel at Rugby, the chapel at Long Lawford was taken down, and Rugby became the mother church, of which Sir Egerton Leigh and his wife Lady Leigh were among the first members. Sir Egerton continued to be the pastor of the church till July 16th, 1811, when the Rev. Edward Fall was ordained sole pastor, the Rev. Robert Hall, of Leicester giving the charge. During his course at Bristol College, Mr. Fall's preaching was instrumental in the conversion of “Blind Jones,” so well remembered by many generations of Bristol students as an excellent and useful man, and for many years a kind of lay bishop at Brick-street chapel, in that city. Mr. Fall remained the laborious, faithful, and honoured minister of the church till 1848, during which time the chapel was enlarged, pewed, and a school-room built, when he resigned, and was succeeded by the Rev. H. Angus, the present respected minister of the place. During Mr. Angus's ministry the church and congregation have greatly increased; the chapel both outside and inside has undergone great alterations and improvements. The Sunday-school was established in 1803, Sir Egerton providing the morning scholars with a basin of bread and milk each, which was sent up from the hall at Brownsover every Sunday morning. Two members of the church became faithful ministers of the gospel, Henry and James Jones, who were baptized in 1812, and sent to Bristol College. The former was settled for some time at Tamworth, and died in Manchester, being then chaplain of a cemetery. The latter, well known to the Association for many years, spent the greater part of his ministerial life at Monk's Kirby.