Brookhouse Primitive Methodist chapel

Presteign circuit: Beguildy LD7 1YU

The Primitive Methodist Magazine for December 1851 includes an account by Joseph Hutchings of the opening of “the neat and well-situated” Brookhouse Primitive Methodist chapel. Located in the parish of Beguildy, it was opened on Friday, August 29th 1851.

Opening sermons were preached by:

  • Rev Owen of Newtown who preached to an “overflowing and respectable” congregation.
  • Rev W Martin
  • Rev W Davies
  • Mr John Edwards

The land was given by Edward Jones Esq. and the deeds executed – free of charge – by Mr Williams, Attorney.

The chapel measured 26′ x 16′ and is 14 feet high.  It cost £66/14/10½.

The chapel is marked on Ordnance Survey maps of 1885-9 and 1903.  It is just north of what was then Brookhouse Farm, now Brook House, and sited in a meander of the River Teme where it must have been susceptible to flooding.  It was accessed only by a footpath.

I can find no evidence of it (or the footpath) on Google maps in August 2011.

Location: SO2052075420

Reference

Primitive Methodist Magazine December 1851 p 752

 

Comments about this page

  • Thanks Janice. A celebration tea was essential for a Prim chapel opening!

    By Christopher Hill (05/09/2020)
  • Report appearing in the “Hereford Times” 13 September 1851, page 4.
    Beguildy. On Friday, [in] the afternoon, the opening services were held in [the] neat and well-situated Primitive Methodist chapel, Brook-house, in this parish. A powerful and instructive sermon was preached by the Rev. T. Owen, Baptist minister, of Newtown, to an overflowing congregation. At the close of the service, the assembly, joined by crowds from all the adjacent places, repaired to a spacious tent, erected by the friends for their accommodation. The tables were nearly set out for tea, and decorated with flowers. About 370 persons partook of the repast thus kindly provided by the ladies of the neighbourhood, who gratuitously supplied the tea and cake. After tea, the tables having been cleared, the tent was soon crowded in every part with a respectable congregation, which was addressed in a very eloquent manner by the Rev. T. Owen, who officiated as president on this occasion. He was followed, in excellent addresses, by the Revds. T. Story, of Presteign, W. Marten, of Newtown, (Primitive) and William Davies, Baptist minister, formerly of this neighbourhood. All present seemed highly gratified. On Sunday, the service[s] were resumed; morning and evening by the Rev. W. Marten; in the afternoon, by Mr. J. Edwards, of Kington. A gracious influence seemed to attend all the services, and there [is] reason to believe that much good was done. The profits and the collections amounted to about £24. The trustees and other friends wish, through our columns, to return their united thanks to Edward Jones, Esq., of Moat, for the free grant of the ground on which the chapel stands.

    By Janice Cox (04/09/2020)
  • The chapel building is not marked at all on the 1948 6″ O.S. map, so must have completely disappeared by then.

    By Janice Cox (04/09/2020)
  • Right last night I noticed a few anomilies with regard to this Chapel. First I noticed the Grid Reference was wrong so I checked my go to source the Coflein Welsh Monuments Database which I have found to be always correct. The Grid Reference given was the same so I checked the Grid Reference location and this Chapels site Grid Reference is NGR SO 1902 8025 as the Chapel is clearly showing its location on the early OS sheets. But the NGR given SO 2052 7542 is the location of another Brook House in Beguildy Parish. This site is remote and not the most accessable of places but given that Coflein has never been wrong in all the years I have used it I thought I should bring to your attention this second site. Given my current health I am not able to get out but just to confirm or deny this second Brook House is not the actual Chapel site or indeed may be a second Chapel site would be useful to both parties. I am certainly encouraged by the early OS sheets showing a building oddly placed away from the main complex. I hope this is of interest.

    By Paul Wood (04/02/2020)
  • This Chapel is indeed long gone. I have passed this site many times down the years but can give no fixed date for its demise. In asking i am told it used to be a Tin sheet Building but nobody seems to know when last used as a chapel.

    By Paul Wood (28/08/2019)

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