Built in 1772, Square Chapel is a beautiful red brick Georgian Chapel and one of only a handful of square churches ever built. It was designed by 16-year-old Thomas Bradley who also went on to design the stunning Piece Hall next door.

Years of neglect had taken its toll on the Grade II* listed building, which had fallen into a state of dangerous disrepair and remained seriously threatened with demolition until six local friends broke in and decided to by it and save it. They paid the grand sum of £25!

As the building work got underway and eventually the structure was deemed safe, concerts took place in the dark and not so perfect auditorium. The audience and performers wore hard hats and blankets as the building had no heating or glass in the window frames., but the show went on.

In 1993 a bar was built to help bring people together and enjoy Square Chapel. Struggling with money, the bar was built with the help of volunteers who used donated materials, old bricks from the building itself and old kitchen units. The ceiling was covered to hide the exposed lighting and roof.

Fast forward to the present day and Square Chapel has the new extension the team could only dream about years ago. The arts centre in the heart of Halifax now attracts almost 150,000 people per year and has gone from being run by volunteers to also employing  full and part time staff. It was recently taken over by the Arts at the Mill team who also own and manage The Old Courts, the Royal Court Theatre, and Wigan Pier in Wigan.

Square Chapel has been used as a background for film and TV premieres such as Sally Wainwright’s Last Tango in Halifax and Happy Valley, and it’s also hosted BBC Question Time and much more.

Tel: 01422 353 073

Email: hello@squarechapel.co.uk