Little England Chapel (originally called The Ocean Cottage Sunday School) was founded by George C. Rowe.

A printer at Hampton Institute, Rowe began the Sunday school with three Newtown children, in a small section of his home.

[4][5] In 1869, Daniel F. Cock set aside a triangular plot of thirty-five acres divided into thirty-three lots to be sold to black persons.

[2][5] In 1878, a large open arbor was built with ten rows of seating for academic and Sunday School classes on the property of Daniel Cock.

[2] During that same summer Rowe met with William N. Armstrong, who offered the use of a small piece of land along Ivy Home Road, if the residents in the neighborhood would contribute toward the support of a day school teacher.