New Film | Saving our Sunday School Hall: Renovation and Heritage Workshops
28 October 2025
We're saving our Grade II* listed Sunday School Hall to bring it back to the community. Go behind-the-scenes and up-the-scaffolding in our new short film to discover how traditional heritage building methods and materials are being used alongside innovative restorations to advance this rare Akron plan building to be an accessible and sustainable space for modern audiences. Next year, this architectural gem will be home to Union Chapel’s 200+ year archive of music, Nonconformist Christian, and social justice legacy as well as continue our current cross-arts, community co-produced, heritage-inspired, free activities as part of our Sunday School Stories Project.
Whilst live show audiences and church congregations have been flowing through our front doors on Compton Terrace, hard work restorations have been going on round the back, on Compton Avenue. From brickwork, flooring, roof re-tiling, retrofit of electrical, heating and ventilation systems and more to bring this space back to life as a much needed cultural and community hub.
The delivery of the project, which began in July 2024, is supported by a £2.28 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players, along with a contribution to the accessibility works from City Bridge Foundation, London’s largest independent charity funder, and others.
And we're not done yet! Since filming the short documentary, renovation efforts have advanced; Click here for recent works completed.
Once completed, the works will not only reopen the 220-capacity space to the public but will also lead to a 68% reduction in energy consumption in the Sunday School Hall. This will be achieved by installing thermal insulation in the floor and roof, underfloor heating, secondary glazing, sensor light switches, and LED lights throughout. This is a significant achievement and a step forward in Union Chapel’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.
Works include repairs to external stone and brickwork, new roof covering, improved thermal efficiency, full accessibility enhancements, complete retrofit of electrical, heating and ventilation systems, lighting installation, and major improvements to the fire prevention system, ensuring the building’s unique architecture and community significance are preserved for future generations.
The restored Sunday School Hall will host workshops, exhibitions, acoustic performances, heritage events, and local meetings, expanding Union Chapel’s cultural and community programme, as well as housing Union Chapel’s 200+ year archive of Nonconformist Christian music, social justice, education and local history.
“This is a hugely exciting moment for Union Chapel and our local community,” said Cristina Carrasco, Participation Manager of the Sunday School Stories Project. “The Sunday School has been part of Islington’s story for almost 150 years, and we’re thrilled to see it revitalised as a space for our community.”
Tom Linton-Smith, Union Chapel Project Trustee and Chair of the Infrastructure Working Group, says, "This project is a fantastic example of how heritage and sustainability can go hand in hand. We’re not only preserving a rare and beautiful building but also setting a benchmark for how historic spaces can be adapted to be more comfortable, flexible and inclusive, and address the environmental challenges of today. There are so many exciting opportunities the space will be able to offer to our communities now and for many years to come. We’re incredibly grateful to our funders and to the skilled and dedicated team making this transformation possible."
Find out more about the Sunday School Stories Project, and how you can get involved, here
Renovation works are being undertaken by Fullers Builders Ltd on behalf of Union Chapel Project. The leading consultant is Burrell Foley Fischer Architects.
Union Chapel’s Sunday School Stories project has been made possible thanks to the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players, City Bridge Foundation, The Clothworkers’ Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Wolfson Foundation, Foyle Foundation, Benefact Trust, National Churches Trust, The Rose Foundation, Friends of Union Chapel, Islington Archaeology & History Society, and individual supporters.
