Easington Lane Primitive Methodist chapel
Brickgarth, DH5 0LE
Primitive Methodism had an energetic society in Easington Lane which gradually outgrew its chapel – see the 1851 Census return. As a result they decided to enlarge it by the addition of a gallery that seated a further 140 people. It would cost £100.
Celebrations of the re-opening, including a tea meeting, started on Sunday April 24th 1859. Speakers at the opening events included Speakers Rev H Phillips (Allendale) T Gibson, W Dent, W Graham, J Featory, (Hoswell) and W Parker who was lately arrived from Bendigo, Australia.
There is a record of the event by E Hall in the Primitive Methodist magazine.
On the 1884-1886 1:2,500 Ordnance Survey map, the Primitive Methodist chapel is marked on what was then Brick Garth and is now Elemore Lane, close to the junction with the A182. By 1896 the chapel has moved a little to the west, with a substantial rectangular building for each of chapel and Sunday school. Both buildings are still there in 1959. In time the chapel became Central Methodist church, but has since been demolished.
Reference
Primitive Methodist magazine August 1859 pages 501-502
Comments about this page
Between the 1895 and 1914 Ordnance Survey maps, an Independent Methodist chapel appears to the west of the Primitive Methodist chapel and Sunday School. The Independent Methodist chapel still exists in 2022, on the corner of Bradley Terrace. Independent Methodists were a group who decided, for various reasons, not to join together with all the other formerly separate Methodist groupings to form the current Methodist Church.
On the side wall of the Independent Methodist chapel is a carved stone saying “Christian Lay Church 1884.”
On a recent visit from Aus, I looked at this address and there is a building there which looks like an old church and which has a faded sign on the Eastern end re a community church. Do you know what this building was?
Add a comment about this page