1758 Chapel Erected

Sutton in the Elms is the oldest Baptist Church in Leicester­shire and was founded about 1646. There were no buildings at that time for it was the abundance of Elm trees that first attracted dissenters to worship here. Dissenters were those who did not conform to the established Church of England, They were persecuted by Officials, not allowed to hold public office of any kind and branded by some as second class citizens. People came several miles to worship under the elms, making their own footpaths. An Elder would read from the Bible and prayers were said – but no singing for fear of being detected. In fact, this created a custom and hymns were not sung at Sutton until 1788. After the Civil War and the death of Charles I, Oliver Cromwell allowed dissenters to practise their faith freely and so the church at Sutton flourished.

In 1650 they formed a Church and built a small meeting place, which is now the vestry adjacent to the Chapel, Thomas Townsend, Sutton’s first Pastor, was responsible for this and he was to remain Minister for forty years, resigning in 1699 due to infirmity, and dying at Sutton in 1704. During his ministry, in 1660, the monarchy was restored and Charles II strengthened the Church of England, so dissenters were persecuted once again, but in 1672 Sutton Elms Baptist church Original chapel is building to right the King passed an “Act of Indulgence” which allowed favours to dissenters although still no legal rights. Eventually in 1689 in the reign of William and Mary, an “Act of Toleration.” was passed allowing freedom of worship.

However, it still prevented dissenters from holding any public office. By this Act dissenters were allowed to worship at regular meeting places provided they registered them, but not until July 1753 did Sutton apply for and obtain registration. 1699 Benjamin Moore became Minister. At this time non-conformists were still second class citizens.

Their marriages were not recognised by law unless the service was performed by the Church of England, and their banns had to be posted on the Workhouse Door instead of the Parish Church door. It was not until 1836 that free churches could lawfully marry couples and at the same time tithes were abolished. Prior to that Sutton had to pay £1 Os. 11d. each year to the Rector of St. Mary’s and even that had to be taken to a special office at the workhouse. Mr Moore died in 1739 and was followed by Robert Gilbert whose brief ministry ended with his death at 27 in 1742.

The Church was without a Pastor for eight years until Isaac Woodman was appointed in 1753. His ministry coincided with a period of agri­cultural and trade depression and people living in the village were near to starvation so 13 members of the chapel left the village and walked to Leicester in the hope of finding employment. They did so and hired a barn to meet in on Sundays. This barn became Harvey Lane Baptist Church where William Carey, founder of the Baptist Missionary Society, was Minister from 1789 until he left for India in 1793. Mr Thomas Edmonds, Sutton’s next Pastor moved to Upton in 1793 and the Pastorate went to the Rev. Benjamin Evans, a well-known local speaker, who stayed at Sutton for 10 years before moving to Enderby and finally to Blaby Baptist Church. The Rev. Clayton Mordount Cracherode took over the Pastorate but in the fourth year of his ministry, died on the way home from a preaching engagement at Leire in November 1807. He is buried in the graveyard and the particulars of his tragic death are recorded on a slate tombstone near the vestry. The following three years saw the church without a minister.’,

‘In 1853 the Rev. John Gough became Pastor of Sutton and in the Spring of that year the baptistry was constructed.  Prior to this baptisms were held in the open air, in the brook that runs in the meadows behind the Chapel. The last person to be baptised in the brook was a Mr Thomas Rainer in 1851. In the 3 1/2 years that the Rev. Gough was at Sutton, 35 people were baptised in the new baptistry, and it was in these years that a decision was made to elect Deacons for a three year term of office instead of the previous one. The graveyard at that time was almost full as it held a large orchard too, and by the time the Rev. Gough left to emigrate to America in 1857 only members of the church and congregation were allowed to be buried there. Eventually in 1916 the orchard was gradually cleared of trees and this rule was no longer necessary.

The Rev. William Bull, B.A., succeeded John Gough and his ministry was to last for 45 years. However, no records were kept during these years apart from the baptismal register which records that

130-135 new members were added to the Church, many of them coming from Cosby. The Rev Bull also presided over a little school adjoining the chapel. French and Latin were taught and the fees at a shilling a week appear to be fairly high, which suggests that it was a school for select middle class pupils. There was no free education until the 1870 Posters Act provided elementary education for all, and it was another 10 years before education was made compulsory for children between the ages of five and eleven. The Rev. Bull died on 24th December 1902 and the Manse was found to be in a very-dilapidated condition.  As money was short volunteers repaired it at a cost of £50 instead of the £150 needed for outside labour. Unfortunately during this renovation some historically valuable documents were burnt, by mistake, along with the refuse.

‘By 1911 it was discovered that dry rot had developed in the new part of the chapel, attacking the floor joists and the organ case, and the fungus was spreading rapidly. The organ was dismantled, treated and rebuilt and, along with the pulpit was moved from the centre to the side where they stand today. The floor was relaid with concrete and wood blocks and the baptistry remade. Eventually heating was installed in both chapel and schoolroom in 1914. The old wooden clock which hangs on the west wall is worth mentioning at this point. For many years it could not be made to work until, in 1929, Mr. Copson (Lil Thompson’s father) repaired it. It was made around 1797 and is an “Act of Parliament” clock. In that year the government needed more revenue for the French wars so placed a tax on each clock or watch in England. 

Most people chose to do without to avoid the tax and even clocks in public places were removed with the result being chaos. Emergency legislation was introduced in 1798 allowing the use of tax free clocks made in a general style – hence the name “Parliament Clock”. Such clocks were usually found in coaching inns and the one in Sutton could have come from a nearby coaching inn. The pictures on the door are an example of Oriental lacquer decoration and originally would almost certainly have been a green and gold Chinese finish, but at some time it was covered with a thick coat of brown varnish.

‘In January 1979 it was decided to start a morning service. At first this was held in the vestry and the average attendance was 8. The children would stay in the church while the adults left. Much prayer was made for couples to move into the church and at this time couples began attend. God was also answering our prayers with conversions amongst young married couples and several were baptised and received into membership. At this time too Mr Alan Pepper spent an hour every morning before work and at weekends asking God for growth in the Church. He recorded a prophesy on 3rd May 1980 which foretold the coming of Bruce Stokes as Minister and was fulfilled 18 months later. A note made in September 1979 by one of the Team said “we are encouraged by some aspects of the work but we desperately need fully committed members to throw in their lot with us. We cannot get a Home Mission Grant for a Minister until the church is built up. Our aim is to see a Minister installed – but how long will that take.” It was becoming usual to see new faces at worship, but they left for other, larger, churches, probably because of the small numbers at Sutton and the dilapidated state of the premises. However, all contacts made were followed up by a team from Whetstone and many were really challenged and some converted, thanks to the work of Mrs Jackie Wood and Mr David Owen who made up the team with Mrs Bull and the many Whetstone folk who came to preach, teach, give testimonies and pray. John and Mary Hemes began and led Holiday Bible Clubs which put the church on the map, but it was noted that the Sunday School had non-Christian teachers and no men teachers at all.

In 1979 the existing (flourishing but secular) Youth Club was closed and a new one started, but again the leaders were only spasmodic attendees at worship and prayer for helpers who were fully committed to Christ was made. Some comments made by Mrs Flo Bull on the work of the team are interesting “The team ministry is working well despite predictions of failure. We meet with Bernard Burrows (Church Secretary) once a month to discuss all aspects of the church’s life. We get on remarkably well considering our differing gifts but we fall down when a snap decision has to be made without prior discussion, But God is good and He is working for us and all is well. ” In 1980 owing to sudden growth in numbers the team were finding it increasingly hard to hold the church together, so Home Mission Fund was approached for a grant to support a Minister. The Area Superintendant felt that Sutton would not get a grant for a full time Minister but no part-time Minister could be found so it was instigated that a Minister might be shared with Whetstone as they were seeking an Assistant Minister at that time. Eventually Rev.Bruce Stokes accepted the call to both positions, giving one day a week to Whetstone for which they contributed a quarter to his stipend and H.M. fund one half. Without the love and generosity of Whetstone, Bruce would never have come to Sutton. He was inducted on 19th September 1981. It was a day of great rejoicing and the team were pleased to have worked themselves out of a job.

After a period of interregnum, Rev. Andrew Burnham took up his first full-time pastorate at Sutton in August 2010 following his training at Spurgeon’s College. During his training he was student minister at a church in north London. Andrew had a passion for Bible teaching. The vision to redevelop the premises was revived during his pastorate. The church celebrated his marriage to the youth worker, Emily. Rev. Burnham moved to Bromley Baptist church in June 2014.

Determined not to stagnate during interregnum the church appointed a Family Worker in 2015, Mat Sheffield. A number of new ministries began including outreach meals at local restaurants, Lux Mundi praise events and ongoing development of family services. Rev. John Hall was appointed as Moderator and provided a steady hand until a new minister was appointed to start in September 2016.