Whitefield's Tabernacle, Tottenham Court Road

For other churches with the same name, see Whitefield's Tabernacle.

File:Whitefield Memorial Church, Tottenham Court Road, WC1 - geograph.org.uk - 1289566.jpg
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Congregational / United Reformed

Whitefield's Tabernacle on Tottenham Court Road, a church in London, England, also called Tottenham Court Road Chapel, was built in 1756 for George Whitefield. It was enlarged in 1759. John Wesley preached a sermon "On the death of the Rev Mr George Whitefield" both here and at Whitefield's Tabernacle, Moorfields in 1770.

The original chapel stood on the west side of Tottenham Court Road, between Tottenham Street and Howland Street, surrounded by fields and gardens. Its foundation stone was laid by Whitefield in June 1756, and it opened for its dedication service on 7 November of the same year. Its initial popularity led to plans being drawn up for enlargement, and these were quickly put into effect in 1759. Beneath the chapel, a vault was also prepared; it was Whitefields failed hope that he could be interred here along with the two Wesleys.

In 1890 the building was taken down and re-erected as Whitefield's Central Mission. In 1895 the coffins buried in the crypt (including Elizabeth Whitefield, but excluding the lead coffin of Augustus Toplady) were moved to Chingford Mount Cemetery in north London. On Palm Sunday 1945 the church building was destroyed by the last V-2 rocket to fall on London. A new chapel was built in 1957, and the grounds became a public thoroughfare.

Since 1976 the latest chapel has been the home of the American International Church, having been offered to them by the United Reformed Church when they were forced to move from their building in North Audley Street in 1972. Currently, it houses both the London Chinese Lutheran Church and the American Church in London. The adjoining grounds have recently had a series of interpretive panels designed for them by Groundwork Camden, with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. These depict various scenes in the history of the chapel, Whitefield's links to Selina, Countess of Huntingdon, and the abolition of slavery as represented by Olaudah Equiano who came to be associated with Calvinist Methodism, and came to live close to Whitefield's Chapel shortly before his death.

Notable Burials

• George Gauld (surveyor)
• Rev Augustus Toplady

References

Churches in Brent
Ancient parish churches (pre-1800)	Old St Andrew's Church, Kingsbury St Mary's Church, Willesden
Anglican daughter churches	St Gabriels, Cricklewood St James Church Alperton St Matthew's Church, Willesden
Other denominations	Cricklewood Baptist Church

---

Churches in Croydon
Ancient parish churches (pre-1800)	All Saints, Sanderstead St John the Baptist, Croydon St John the Evangelist, Coulsdon St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Addington
Anglican daughter churches	St John the Evangelist, Upper Norwood

Churches in Greenwich
Ancient parish churches (pre-1800)	St Alfege, Greenwich St John the Baptist, Eltham St Luke, Charlton St Mary Magdalen, Woolwich St Nicholas, Deptford St Nicholas, Plumstead
Anglican daughter churches	Church Army Chapel, Blackheath
Other denominations	New Wine Church, Woolwich

---

Churches in Harrow
Ancient parish churches (pre-1800)	St John the Evangelist, Great Stanmore St Lawrence Whitchurch, Little Stanmore St Mary, Harrow on the Hill

---

---

Churches in Redbridge
Ancient parish churches (pre-1800)	St Mary, Wanstead St Mary, Woodford
Anglican daughter churches	Ilford Hospital Chapel
Other denominations	Our Lady of Lourdes, Wanstead

---