Scalegill Primitive Methodist chapel

“Scalegill, Whitehaven Circuit.—This place has been lately erected for the workmen connected with the extensive iron stone mines in the locality, and is three miles south of Whitehaven. It was missioned in the close of 1860, principally by Brother J. Jopling, and the preachers appointed to it on the plan ; and in the space of twenty months, we have a society of twenty members, and a Sabbath and day school taught in a new connexional chapel.

The foundation stone was laid by the writer on December 20^th, 1861, and the chapel was opened on June 8th, 1862, by the Rev. J. Worsnop preaching morning and evening, and Mr. J. Huggins (Wesleyan), in the afternoon. On Monday, the 9th, there were a tea and public meeting in the chapel, and addresses by the Revs. J. Harper, J. Taylor, J. Worsnop, and Messrs. Huggins, Burns, Scott, Fee, and Greenup ; Mr. W. Simpson being in the chair.

The chapel will seat 120 persons. The total cost, exclusive of the chapel deed, is £137. We have raised by subscriptions, £57 ; at the foundation stone laying, £7 2s. 4d. ; and at the opening services, £9 8s. : total, £73 10s. Id. A few more pounds are expected shortly to be realized. Our friends at Scalegill and neighbourhood have laboured well, and we are happy to add a few souls have already been saved within the walls of the chapel. A. Dodds.”

The question then comes; where was Scalegill chapel? The OS map evidence is not complete: the 1899 OS map shows no Primitive Methodist chapel at ScaleGill, although the 1925 map shows a Mission hall on the northern side of Scalegill Road. On the site on Street View in 2009  is a portable wooden building.  A few hundred yards away to the east in Moor Row  there is a Primitive Methodist chapel – but the facts we know about it differ from those in Mr Dodds’ account.

Can you help?

Reference

Primitive Methodist magazine 1862 page 701