V-cut hand-chiselled plaque - Cheltenham non-denominational Chapel 1809, Jenner Walk / St. Georges Square
Dr Edward Jenner (1749-1823), native of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, he was an early pioneer of vaccination whose most spectacular achievement was to eradicate smallpox, which had until that time been a widespread and seriously devastating disease. He has a museum dedicated to him at his former home in Berkeley, and their website has lots of interesting information about his life and work. Although his birthplace was always where his heart was, and his pioneering work also led him to establish medical practices in London, he spent some 25 years living during the summer season in Cheltenham, where he owned a house (later two houses and a garden) in St George’s Place. It was from this house that the smallpox vaccine was sent out around the world – and such was Jenner’s humanitarian spirit he administered it free of charge to the poor. The narrow street was frequently crowded with up to 300 people a day clamouring for his services Jenner didn’t keep all of the garden to himself, however. In 1809 the Rev. Rowland Hill, a close friend of Jenner’s, built the Cheltenham Chapel on land adjoining the edge of the garden. Built to relieve the overcrowding of the parish church and other local chapels during the town’s rapid expansion years, the new chapel was non-denominational and hosted services of pretty much any kind – only the Unitarians were banned. Designed by Edward Smith, it was described at the time as “plain, neat and commodious” and contained 1000 seats. A year later the chapel’s trustees bought the bottom end of Dr Jenner’s garden for £450 for use as a burial ground, and an access lane was made across the garden to link the chapel with St George’s Place directly opposite Jenner House. Jenner and Hill took a close interest in each other’s work, and a vaccination clinic was held in the chapel every Sunday after the religious service
Size: 5472px × 3648px
Location: St. Georges Square, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK, GL50 3LJ
Photo credit: © Tony Smith / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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