Helperby Primitive Methodist chapel

Thomas Newell writes in the Primitive Methodist magazine about the opening of Helperby Primitive Methodist chapel in 1860:

“Helperbv, Thirsk Circuit. —For many years our society at this village has been inconvenienced for want of a suitable place in which to worship God. Mr. Thomas Yeates, one of our local preachers, engaged to pay the rent of our present preaching-room, and urged the Quarter-day Board to continue the place on the plan, or probably it would have been given up; About twelve months ago we resolved to build a new chapel, our class-leader offered to sell us a site of ground with two cottages on it. We knew that this would add seriously to the outlay, but as no better opening presented itself, we determined at last that we would arise and build.

The cottages were taken down, and on November 15th of last year, the foundation was laid by Mr. T. Yeates, and a sermon preached by the Rev. O. Stout After many delays, through unseasonable weather, we announced the opening services for March 4th, 11th, and 13th. On the first of these days, Mr. Porter, of York, preached, and on the others, the Rev. H. Hebbron, of Sunderland. We had likewise on the 13th, a tea-meeting, and ad dresses afterwards. The chapel is a substantial brick building, covered with blue slate ; well lighted and ventilated ; 8 yards by 10, 14 feet from the floor to the wall plate, and fronts the principal street. It has a gallery capable of seating seventy persons, and space in the bottom for nearly as many free sittings. More than sixty of the sittings in the gallery are already let The cost will be about £195. We have not yet completed our collecting, but we have no doubt about raising the one-third required by rule.”

On the 1892 1:2,500 Ordnance Survey map, a Primitive Methodist chapel is marked on main street, just north of the junction with Toft’s Lane, although the chapel may have been on Toft’s Lane. There is no obvious evidence on Street View. A later chapel building is marked on the 1975 map at the junction of Bridge Street and Main Street; the building still stands on Street View in June 2011. GENUK identifies this as a former Primitive Methodist chapel; is that the case?

Reference

Primitive Methodist magazine July 1860 page 434