Buttonoak Primitive Methodist chapel

Button Oak BEWDLEY DY12 3AQ

Button Oak is a small hamlet, about three miles from Bewdley, in the county of Salop. For nearly twenty years it has been the scene of Primitive Methodist labours. For some years it was a very flourishing place, and many sinners were converted to God ; but of late our cause has been low, and very few people attended the services.

Mrs. Hamar, a lady who has recently come to reside at Button Oak, was much grieved to see so many people who never attended any place of worship (the parish church is about seven miles distant), and one day last winter the writer called on her, and unsolicited, she offered him a piece of land in a most eligible situation, on which to erect a chapel. The offer was laid before the circuit authorities, who, regarding it as an indication of the will of God, gladly accepted it.”

This is the start of the account by William Gwillim of the opening of the Primitive Methodist chapel at Button Oak.  The new chapel  was built of brick and slate and cost £73. Notable donors included Messrs. Lewis, Horton, and Beavan.

Preachers at the opening on October 10th 1862 included Mrs Viner (Norton), and Mr. and Mrs. Gwillim (Kidderminster). The chapel is still marked on Ordnance Survey maps in 1954, although it is difficult to see which building the label relates to.  There is no label on the 1971 map. There is the label “school” close by; was that a Sunday school linked to the chapel?  

Does the chapel still exist?


Reference

Primitive Methodist magazine January 1862 page 44-45

 

Comments about this page

  • The chapel opened on Sunday 20 October 1861 & was reported in the P.M. Magazine in January 1862.

    By Janice Cox (04/11/2020)
  • Thanks for the update Graham. A photograph would be great if possible: please send to: info@myprimitivemethodists.org.uk.

    By Christopher Hill (22/12/2018)
  • Yes it is still there. My nan and grandad lived next door and turned the chapel into a shop but kept the look of the chapel. Nan sold it on as a shop but some years later my dad, Tom Stephens and myself tried to save it. We went to the local councillors to try and get them to understand it was part of Button Oak history but the usual thing they had made their minds up before we got there. Now its part of the house history gone

    By graham stephens (21/12/2018)

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.