As an independent congregation founded after the 1672 Great Ejection of non conforming priests from their Church of England livings, we are a radical, forward-looking group.
In 1742 the then minister, Rev Thomas Collins split the congregation by refusing to confirm the divinity of Christ and 200 members left to form the Congregational chapel no the Arts Centre.
The New Meeting, our current chapel, was built by the then chair of trustees, his grandson Thomas Collins Colfox in 1798 on the site of the Crown Inn replacing the Old Meeting off Barrack Street.
In the latter half of the 18th Century and quite illegally, members of the Chapel, being the leading merchants of the town, took over the Bridport Corporation (The Town Council) without complying with the Corporation and Test Acts’ obligations to take communion in the Church of England once a year.
In the 21st Century this spirit of non-conformity is alive and well and we welcome people of all faiths and none to explore the common ground and create a new spirituality in Bridport.