About Us

About Us

Salem Baptist Chapel is an independent Reformed Baptist church based in the city of Peterborough. Located at the corner of Eastfield Road and Dickens street the church is easily accessible. Buses No: 5 and 5A as well as taxis to and from the City Centre come along Eastfield Road. The nearest bus stop is three minutes walk away from the chapel. 
Salem Baptist Chapel seeks to make known the exceeding riches of the gospel of Jesus Christ to men, women and children. We have weekly evangelistic gospel services, evangelistic outreach on the neighbourhood doors and an afternoon Sunday school for hearing and Deaf children.
A Brief History of Salem Baptist Chapel
In the year 1824 the members of three Calvinistic societies within the city of Peterborough met at a local chapel to discuss the amalgamation of their societies into one church to be known as Salem Strict Baptist Chapel. At the time they were meeting together in a temporary building.
In the year 1855 the church held a special service for the laying of the chapel foundation stone with hymns of praise and worship offered up to the Lord.
This wonderful God honouring service attended by 200 people, was taken by a Mr R De Fraine from Lutterworth who stated that the occasion was “For the glory of God, the good and comfort of God’s people and the benefits of the inhabitants of Peterborough at large.”
The chapel building was completed in late December 1855 and three special services were scheduled for the 27th of December to be taken by Reverend Philpott from North Street Chapel of Stamford. However, much to the disappointment of the 200 gathered for the service, Reverend Philpott fell ill and so the task of delivering the three 
services fell to three men: Mr Godwin of Woburn, Mr De Fraine of Lutterworth and Mr Brown of Godmanchester.
Compulsory Purchase Order
In 1973 the Secretary of State for Environment signed a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO 1973) compelling the trustees of Salem Baptist Chapel to sell the land to the Peterborough Development Corporation (PDC) for redevelopment.
The church in response sought assurances from the PDC concerning a suitable relocation site for the church and reasonable monetary compensation to the members of the church for the construction of a new chapel suitable for the then existing congregation.
The church trustees were providentially offered a suitable piece of land by the PDC through a representative from the Gospel Standard Strict and Particular Baptist Trust Limited (GSSPBTL) not too far from the old location of the old chapel site.
On 12th April 1974, the trustees of Salem Baptist Chapel, including Mr L D S Stafford and Mr A R E Jarman formally agreed the offer of this alternative piece of land and thus were handed back all the land related responsibilities by a Mr Hart the then Secretary of the GSSPBTL.
Chapel Rebuilt
The present chapel building was built in the year 1978. By May 1997 the church had dwindled to only two church members. The two people could not continue to run the chapel and therefore the church formally closed its doors on the 26th day of that month. Those doors were however reopened on the very next Sabbath morning by Mr David and Mrs Linda Soames, (they were approached by the trustees of Salem Baptist Chapel). Though the Soames lived in Peterborough, they had continued to serve the Lord in Quadring where they had previously lived.
Church Minister
Our church minister is Pastor Wezi Kaonga. He first came to Peterborough and Salem Baptist Chapel just under ten (10) years ago.