Binchester Primitive Methodist chapel

The 1886 Primitive Methodist magazine tells us that, despite the pinch of straitened circumstances felt by the wage-earning class who made up the majority of Primitive Methodists, memorial stones had been laid and a new chapel opened at Binchester in the Bishop Auckland Station. The new chapel was of Gothic design and seated 350. 7 people were brought to faith at the opening services.

Ordnance Survey maps tell the story:

• 1856 – no chapels – and no Binchester Blocks
• 1897 – Prim chapel with  a footprint showing a larger block at the read.
• 1923 – the Primitive Methodist chapel at the northern end of Peel Street – and only a few yards away at the northern end of Pitt Street is a Wesleyan Methodist chapel.
• 1939 – both are labelled as Methodist church.
• 1962 – the Prim chapel is labelled as Binchester Full Gospel Church (Pentecostal) with the rear part of the building labelled Sunday School. The Wesleyan chapel is unlabelled.
• 1990 –  the Prim chapel is labelled Community Centre and the Wesleyan chapel labelled Factory.

On street view in 2009, the Wesleyan chapel still exists, apparently in residential use. The former Prim chapel is not visible from the road, but the name board for the Community Centre is still there – and a building with a very similar footprint is still there on satellite view in 2023.  Does any of the former chapel still exist?

We don’t have a picture of the former Prim chapel, but thanks to Sue Gray for the postcard showing the former Wesleyan chapel

Reference

Primitive Methodist magazine April 1886 page 251

Primitive Methodist magazine December 1886 page 761