From "Of Human Bondage".
Blackstable was a fishing village. It consisted of a high street in which were the shops, the bank, the doctor's house, and the houses of two or three coalship owners; round the little harbor were shabby streets in which lived fishermen and poor people; but since they went to chapel they were of no account

It seems logical that "high street" means the main street
because it was the only one that had been raised and paved to be able to withstand heavy traffic in wet weather.

I haven't been able to find a discussion of "church vs. chapel". Perhaps some of our UK members can tell us which
refers to the Anglican church, and which to the Baptist,Methodist,etc. denominations.

The rest of the paragraph goes on to make it clear that
"chapel" people were lowbrow Baptists,Methodists,etc.

Church --of course is what in US is Anglican, in UK is Church of England(CofE)--chapel is another(any other?) protestant denomination, (in scotland is presberterian)

i don't know if there laws concerning churches other than CofE, but CofE membership (and baptism in CofE) was(is?) required for election to parlament, and other high offices of state--
(Disraeli's father had an arguement with his in-laws(or was it his father?) and as an act of spite, he had his son baptized in the CofE--Disraeli was not a big church goer- but because he was 'officially CofE' he could be prime minister.)

since being chapel bars you from (some) advancement-- to be chapel is to be of no account!

i think, current day, there aren't any laws about denominations in UK--there have been in the past--certainly it was illegal to be a 'Quaker'(member of the society of friends)-- and other demonimations were outlawed at other times as well (we'll gloss over RC--since my RC early childhood education filled me with such a one sided history, and was so filled with emotional, religious arguements, i still have trouble seeing straight)

if there are laws, (about religious worship) they seem generally not to be enforced... but unlike US, churches are taxed- and CofE gets most/some of its taxes rebated--though there is less and less state money going to support churches (especially small rural churches with dwindling congregations)the CofE is headed by the queen--and it is linked to crown, and country in a way that is hard to understand here in US...
(the recent brouhaha over an openly gay bishop (in US) was a cause for concern--the US anglican church (affiliated with CofE) is one of the largest 'collection' of anglicans--and if the CofE didn't accept the bishop, the US group was likely to split--and in religious circles, membership (and the assets the members hold collectively!) are a big deal. US anglican churches are relitively rich--(because they are untaxed)and the land and buildings are worth a small fortune)