[Illustration:  St. John’s Chapel, Deritend.]

PLACES OF WORSHIP.

In a town like Birmingham, unfettered with charteral laws; which gives access to the stranger of every denomination, for he here finds a freedom by birthright; and where the principles of toleration are well understood, it is no wonder we find various modes of worship.  The wonder consists in finding such agreement, in such variety.

We have fourteen places for religious exercise, six of the established church, three dissenting meeting houses, a quakers, baptist, methodist, roman catholic, and jewish.  Two of these only are churches, of which elsewhere.

SAINT JOHN’S CHAPEL, DERITEND.

This, tho’ joining to the parish of Birmingham, is a chapel of ease belonging to Aston, two miles distant.  Founded in the fifth of Richard the Second, 1382.

This chapel does not, like others in Birmingham, seem to have been erected first, and the houses brought round it:  It appears, by its extreme circumscribed latitude, to have been founded upon the scite of other buildings, which were purchased, or rather given, by Sir John de Birmingham, Lord of Deritend, and situated upon the boundaries of the manor, perhaps to accommodate in some measure the people of Digbeth; because the church in Birmingham must, for many-ages, have been too small for the inhabitants.

Time seems to have worn out that building of 1382; in the windows of which were the arms of Lord Dudley, and Dudley empaling Barckley, both knights of the garter, descended from the Somery’s, Barons of Dudley-castle:  Also a whole figure of Walter Arden, Esq; of ancient family, often mentioned, Lord of Bordesley.

The present building was erected in 1735, and the steeple in 1762.  In 1777 eight of the most musical bells, together with a clock, entered the steeple.  The present chaplain, the Rev. Thomas Cox—­Income 80_l_.

[Illustration:  St. Bartholomew’s Chapel.]

SAINT BARTHOLOMEW’S.

Built in 1749, on the east side of the town, will accommodate about 800 hearers; is neat and elegant.  The land was the gift of John Jennens, Esq; of Copsal, in the county of Leicester, possessor of a considerable estate in and near Birmingham.

By the solicitation of Mrs. Weaman, Mrs. Jennens gave 1000_l_. and the remainder was raised by contribution to accomplish the building.

Wherever a chapel is erected, the houses immediately, as if touched by the wand of magic, spring into existence.  Here is a spacious area for interment, amply furnished by death.  The infant steeple, if it will bear the name, is very small but beautiful.

The chancel hath this singular difference from others—­that it veres towards the North.  Whether the projector committed an error, I leave to the critics.