Friends Meeting House
Friends Meeting House, Bellingdon Road, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, HP5 2HA
Chesham Friends Meeting House is the only Georgian religious building still in regular use in the Town. It was built in 1798 but the site has been used for Quaker worship since 1682. An excellent example of Georgian architecture, the main interior is virtually unchanged comprising a single meeting-room in origin, but long divided into two rooms by a screen with three pairs of counterweighted shutters.
The east room (further from the road) is plainly furnished for Quaker worship. It contains a tiered section (nowadays seldom used) by the east wall but is otherwise all on one level with benches arranged around a square. A porch was added, probably in 1806. It was replaced in 1962-64 when four small rooms (kitchen, lobby and toilets) were added on the south side of the Georgian building. The building is listed as Grade II.
Loving care is given to tending the grassed area beside the Meeting House, which includes the burial ground which has been in Quaker trusteeship since 1682.
There will be guided tours of the Meeting House and its grounds, including the Quaker burial ground.
Friends Meeting House, Bellingdon Road, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, HP5 2HA
Ramp from Bellingdon Road pavement to Friends Meeting House. Level access to 1964 lobby and one 1798 room but step down into 1798 meeting room.
There are a number of free car parks in the Town Centre, the closest ones being Star Yard car park, just off The Broadway, and Albany car park at the Elgiva Theatre at the top of St Mary's Way.