Painswick Ebenezer Primitive Methodist chapel

2 Bisley Street, Painswick, Gloucestershire GL6 6QQ

Ebenezer Primitive Methodist chapel, Painswick
Keith Guyler 1990

The Victoria County History says Primitive Methodists had been established in Painswick in 1829, meeting in a room in Vicarage Street, until their chapel was built in 1849. The inscription over the door however says 1854 (although it might be 1853, 1834 or any other variation. See below – it’s hard to read.)

It is a grade 2 listed building and the description is as follows:

“PAINSWICK BISLEY STREET (east side)
SO 8609/8709
8/40 Ebenezer Chapel

GV II
Methodist chapel, now sale rooms. Dated 1834. Limestone ashlar, concrete tile roof. One storey, 3 windows, sashes with radial bars to arched heads, central pair of 3-panel fielded doors in ashlar porch to coped gable on moulded kneelers. Return wall to Vicarage Street has one deep arched sash. Main front has coped parapet rising to central pediment. Windows have flush voussoirs; the whole, set to a rubble plinth, is in a very important position visually, terminating a vista along St Mary’s Street. Interior modified to current use.  (Stell, C; Chapels and Meetinq Houses, 1986.)”

The Primitive Methodist magazine for December 1854 contains an account by Thomas Hobson of the opening of Painswick Primitive Methodist chapel in 1854 (see above). It explains that in the preceding 5 years the society had met in a room rented for £4 yearly.  The congregation numbered around 40 in 1851. 

A house was purchased for £80 in October 1853 and Ebenezer chapel erected on the garden in front of the house at a further cost of £180.  Mr Hamlett gave and engraved inscription stone.  The overall debt was £180. The house yielded an annual income of £3. 

The building was 32′ x 24′ and 18′ high.  The walls were 20″ thick.  The opening took place on October 15th 1854 and in the following weeks. Sermons were preached by Rev CT Harris of Bath, and Thomas Hobson.

After closure Ebenezer chapel became Painswick Spiritualist Church.  It is now Hampton’s estate agent.


Reference

Primitive Methodist magazine December 1854 p.745

Victoria County History accessed through British History online02 December 2016: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol11/pp83-85

 

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