Macclesfield Unitarians

What was originally Back Street Chapel has stood in King Edward Street since 1689, however the principle for which it stands is far from being a thing of the past. Indeed, we call to honour and respect the freedom of the individual to form and follow their own beliefs about ‘life, the universe, and everything’. We prefer this, to the requirement of people to subscribe to a unified catalogue of set beliefs and practices.

When the Church of England required absolute subscription to the doctrines and rituals contained within the Book of Common Prayer in 1662, significant numbers of voices were raised in question and resistance. Resistance not only to specific doctrines or practices, but also resistance to the authority of the Church so to dictate religious belief and behaviour.

Some 2000 clergy were ejected from the Church that August, and hence, the congregations they took with them were all branded Dissenters. Gradually, over years and decades, these groups clarified their distinctive views and thoughts, and henceforth began to be identified accordingly – Presbyterian, Baptist, Independent, Congregational, Quaker and so on. The laws of the land forbid such dissenting groups to gather for worship, or additionally, for the ejected clergy to convene services within five miles of any major town. 

So it was that for much of the 17th century the Presbyterians, the Congregationalists, and the Catholics (who were just as unwelcome) were to be found – or preferably NOT found(!) meeting in barns in Sutton for years.