NHER 35372 (Building record) - Lynn Museum, former Union Baptist Chapel

Overlies part of site NHER 1176.
Chapel, now the Lynn Museum. The chapel was built in 1859 to serve a group of dissidents from the local Congregational and Baptist churches who united as the Union Baptists. The union was a fragile one, and most of the Congregationalists eventually returned to their parent chapel. By 1900 numbers had dwindled and the remainder founded a new chapel in the developing area of South Lynn (NHER 62854).
The architect was Robert Moffat Smith of Manchester and the building is an Italianate Gothic style, of white brick with a tall spire. A school room was added immediately to the east in around 1867 in a similar style, and is assumed to be the work of the same architect.
The empty chapel was purchased by the Museum Society who were being evicted from the Athenaeum, and the building reopened as the Museum in 1904.
See full documentary background and architectural description in file by E.M. James, (S1).
Listed at Grade II, July 2000 (S2).
E. Rose (NLA), 4 April 2000, amended by A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 3 February 2020.

November 2011. Planning Application.
Alterations to existing main entrance including: Stripping of existing entrance canopy and infilling with brise soleil solar shading louvres, new security roller shutter, new glazed entrance screen and relocation of main entrance.
See (S3).
Z. Dack (HES), 5 December 2011.

See also (S4).
M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 22 October 2012.

(S5) records this building as dating from 1861, and being built at a cost of around £3000. In January 1900 the site was secured on behalf of the Museum Committee for £1600, exclusive of the seating. (S5) notes the school room as being added in 1887 at a cost of £1500.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 19 June 2019.