West St Baptist, Wardleworth in the County of -- Lancashire --

	A Drawing of West St Baptist, Wardleworth Drawing from Rochdale Past and Present and © William Robertson

	West St Baptist, Wardleworth Photograph supplied by and © of Mike Berrell

Formerly Town Meadows Baptist which opened in 1775 and closed 1833.

Prior to 1773 Rochdale Baptists had to travel to Bacup or Wainsgate to attend the ministry of Mr. Hurst or Dr. Fawcett. After a while they obtained the services of these and other ministers in their own houses, and as a result of their preaching, 9 people where baptised in the River Roach on 12th Oct 1773 in the presence of a great crowd of people. This baptism took place nearly opposite where the Town Hall stands.

The first meeting house occupied by the Baptists was a room attached to the Bull Inn nearly at the bottom of Yorkshire Street opposite the Market Place and known as Bull Chambers. 1775 they procured a plot of ground in Town Meadows and erected a place of worship 14 yards by 12 yards outside at a cost of over £400. 1786 they installed pews and in 1798 erected a gallery. The chapel in Town Meadows was occupied until 1833 when the present building in West Street was opened, the total cost of chapel and lands £3.332 15s.

Town Meadows burial ground was discontinued 1838.

West Street Chapel reopened after alterations 9 Nov 1881 which cost £2,500.