This is a view of the former Salem Chapel which is long demolished, the site is now occupied by the bus garage.
The non-conformist chapel was built in 1866 by Thomas Edwards, the author of the hymn book "Waters in the Wilderness." He lived in the adjoining cottage and preached in the chapel for twenty seven years and attracted large crowds to services held on the Common on Sunday afternoons.
When James Mountain resigned from the pastorate of Emmanuel Church in 1897 over his new found objections to infant baptism he used this building as a temporary home for his congregation until a new church could be built, changing the name to St John's Road Free Church. In 1935 the bus company purchased the building and in time it was demolished to make room for the new bus garage.
The building is just visible in this view of St John's Road.
Scanned antique postcard
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