Pillawell (Pillowell) Primitive Methodist chapel 1835

The first Pillowell Primitive Methodist chapel opened in 1835.

In the 1847 Primitive Methodist magazine, Robert Langford tells us of the re-opening of  Pillawell Primitive Methodist chapel after enlargement. After they first opened the  chapel in 1835 , society membership grew especially with the opening of a Sunday school in 1844, so they added five feet to the width and four feet to the height so a gallery could be added. It cost £34.

The chapel re-opened on November 15^th 1846 with sermons by Rev Penny (Coleford) and Mr Nicholson (Sydney) – both Baptists.  It was replaced by a larger chapel in 1885

The 1835 chapel is marked as Jubilee Chapel on the 1878 Ordnance Survey map, on the western side of Upper Road towards Yorkley, just north of the 1885 chapel which still serves as Pillowell Methodist church. You can see pictures of that chapel here.

Thanks to Averil Kear for the photograph and further information.  The 1835 Primitive Methodist chapel was erected at a cost of £70 and was known as the Jubilee chapel. It was altered in 1856 and sold in 1892 to the Pillowell and Yorkley Cooperative Society It was used in 1990 as a dwelling before eventually becoming the Pillowell Village Hall., which it is today in 2021. In 1885 the demand for a new chapel was met with the opening of Pillowell chapel built on land bounded on the south in part by a road leading to Kidnall’s Wood, and Yorkley on the East and on all other sides by open forest.

Reference

Primitive Methodist magazine 1847 pages 48-49