Wing Primitive Methodist chapel

Church Street Wing LEIGHTON BUZZARD LU7 0NY

Wing Primitive Methodist chapel
Keith Guyler 1998
Return from Wing Primitive Methodist chapel in the 1851 Census of Places of Public Religious Worship
Provided by David Tonks

Wing Primitive Methodist chapel in the picture dates from 1847.

However, the Primitive Methodist magazine for December 1842 includes an account by Samuel Turner of the opening of the first chapel in a converted carpenter’s shop. It sounded touch and go!

“The cause at Wing was so low, and the public mind so prejudiced against us when I entered this circuit in the year 1838, that we had almost come to a decision of taking it off the plan. But, having three local preachers in society, who were the only members we had in the place, we were reluctant to take it off, though we had but two or three more frequently to preach to, besides the members. At length a mighty influence descended, and rested on the minds of several, one of whom got converted to God; our congregations began to increase. We then gave it Sunday preaching; a revival followed, our preachinghouse became too strait to worship in, and we were obliged to look out for a larger. But our efforts to obtain a piece of ground on which to build a chapel proving unsuccessful, we were obliged to convert a carpenter’s shop into a chapel, and take it on a lease for a term of years; the expense of which amounted to more than thirty pounds, of which twenty-seven pounds have been already paid. This little commodious place of worship was opened for Divine service by Miss Anscombe.”

transcribed by David Tonks

The 1851 Ecclesiastical Census gives a total attendance on the day of 437 plus 47 Sunday School scholars.  The evening attendance was technically more than the 200 seats available.

It was closed in the 1990s and by the time of Keith Guyler’s photograph in 1999 had been converted into a house.

Reference

Primitive Methodist Magazine, 1842 Pages 453-454

 

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