North Moreton Primitive Methodist chapel

The birth of the chapel in 1839 is reported by Samuel West in the 1840 Primitive Methodist magazine.

“On Sunday Aug. 18, 1839, we opened a chapel at North Moreton, a village near Wallingford in Berkshire. Mrs. West and myself preached on the occasion, and fund it good to be there.

In this place we have laboured about seven years, and not in vain, for a few are gone to be with Christ in heaven, and a few more are journeying towards that better country, who were brought to God under our ministry. For several years n the winter season, and when worship could not be held in the open air, (by the kind permission of Mr. John Deerlove of Brightwell) divine service was regularly held in an unoccupied part of his malthouse. But about three years ago it was taken down, and there was then no convenient place of worship but the open air, winter and summer. And now the society which had been in a very prosperous state, began to sink, and continued to sink, till it was very low indeed, and almost entirely broken up.

In these circumstances, of course fervent prayer was offered up to God, who hath all power in heaven and in earth. And, blessed be the Lord our God, at length we determined on the purchase of an old house and garden which had been unoccupied for some years, and was offered for sale by public auction once or twice, but no one would purchase it. It is freehold property and we bought it for twenty pounds, when no other person appeared inclined to (10 50. And in confident dependence upon the help of Almighty God we set to work, pulled down the house, and built a chapel twenty feet by sixteen in the clear, and eight feet to the wall-plate, built with stone and brick, and covered with tile, mostly the materials of the house.

Also we have built a small cottage adjoining the chapel, sixteen feet by ten in the clear. ft is thatched, and we let it for one shilling per week. The materials of the old building went a great way in the building of the chapel and house. And the cost in cash of the whole, including the purchase, writings, and building altogether, is up to the present time, ninety-two pounds, seven shillings, and one penny farthing; and eleven pounds, seven shillings, and one penny farthing collected towards it; but much more was given in labour, carriage, &c.; leaving a debt of eighty-one pounds, tile interest of which is four pounds, one shilling, per annum. Now the cottage pays two pounds, twelve shillings, towards it, so that the chapel has only one pound, nine shillings a-year to pay; and there are two double pews, one on each side of the pulpit, in the chapel, that will seat sixteen persons, and are let at sixpence a sitting per quarter. But the other seats are plain forms or benches.

The chapel is not, what we may call, completely and neatly finished off as yet. This will be done as we can get the money to do it, without increasing the debt, for we are anxious to avoid the inconvenience of having a poor congregation and society, with a well-finished chapel and a heavy debt to press them down, and which to struggle with from year to year. In building this chapel and house we have been assisted by Messrs. Banister, Clerk, Saunders, Deerlove and others whose Christian charity we deem it our duty to record to, the praise and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The 1897, 1910 and 1932 Ordnance Survey maps show a Primitive Methodist chapel on Long Wittenham Road. On StreetView in 2023 at the chapel still exists, in  use as a garage.  It appears to retain its datestone, but frustratingly it is obscured by shrubbery.

Reference

 Primitive Methodist magazine 1840 page 373