Robin Hood’s Bay Congregational Chapel

Among the ginnels and alleyways of Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire, is inevitably, a redundant nonconformist chapel. ‘Congregational Church 1840’, proclaims a modest though pleasant datestone. The Congregationalists of the district voted to join the United Reformed Church in 1972, which naturally closed it at the start of our own century when it claimed but one member. I presume it is now some second home or holiday cottage, like most of its neighbours. The village is wonderfully pretty, and its views of the North Sea, superb. But once, a long time ago, the message shared in this building was more beautiful and invigorating than anything the coastlands and sea views could offer:

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. (1 Timothy 1:15a)

What a tragedy, that the village should keep its lesser beauty, and even become famous for it, all awhile silencing and forgetting the most magnificent, exquisite, loveliness the cosmos ever knew.

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