The History of
Low Row
United Reformed Church

Lord Wharton owned land and property extensively in Swaledale, including Smarber Hall which had been used as a shooting lodge.

A manuscript dated 1690-92 which is a survey of nonconformity states:

Swaledale: Where a worthy person this last Summer at his own charge has built a meeting place (which is certified at the Quarter Sessions for the County) He will settle £10 per annum for the future, and nothing by any body else. There is a numerous Auditory, most of them poor Miners. Mr Holland a young man unmarried, educated by Mr Frankland settles among them, who has given him a very good character.

The Quarter Sessions Records for the North Riding of Yorkshire
state that on October 6th 1691:

The new house adjoining to Smarber Hall in Swaledale is certified to be set apart for a publicke meeting house for Protestant Dissenters.

Lord Wharton is said to have built this chapel "for the benefit of his lead miners,"

John Allason wrote in 1821

"Smarber Hall Chapel was situate upon the side of a steep mountain in a central station for the accommodation of the surrounding population. Being a large old thatched building much exposed to boisterous storms it was repeatedly unroofed and otherwise damaged particularly in 1739. In 1759 it was nearly demolished; the roof blown away and end wall destroyed. A collection was made and £12-15s obtained. In 1761 Thos Wainwright Esq of Hatton Garden, London, generously sent £50 for its enlargement and reparation. In 1778 Mr Benn collected at Manchester £20 which was expended in re-building the north wall, then ruinous. In 1810 in consequence of its ruinous & dangerous condition it was taken down and a new chapel erected at Low Row which cost £500 - a debt of near £100 remains upon it."

The present day church holds a service on the site of Smarber Chapel once a year.

  A new chapel was built on the present site next to the main road in 1809. The land was given by the Rev Thomas Smith, Lord of the Manor, and the building was registered or licenced in the Consistory Court of the Archdeaconry of Richmond on September 27th 1810.

The building was extensively renovated in 1874 at a cost of about £600. It was re-opened on December 18th 1874. During 1875 some visitors to Swaledale wrote in the Christian World paper.

We noticed by the roadside a simple, substantial-looking little stone chapel, with a bell, and a much more ecclesiastical and comfortable aspect than is usual in such out of the way regions. It has recently been nearly re-built and re-pewed, and now it is a model of simplicity and neatness, and we hear is well attended every Sunday.

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  In the 18th century our church was occasionally described as a Presbyterian church (see 1771 map) but in the 19th century was clearly Congregational and a member church of the Congregational Union.

In 1972 there was a national union of Congregational and Presbyterian churches to form the United Reformed Church, so the church fellowship is now URC.