Leicester Clipstone Street Primitive Methodist chapel, later Highfields

Melbourne Road, Leicester LE2 0DR

The former Clipstone Street Primitive Methodist chapel is still in use in 2016 as the New Testament Church of God.

The first Primitive Methodist sermon heard in Leicester was preached by John Benton in 1818.  Clipstone Street chapel was opened in 1884 and the 1884 Primitive Methodist magazine records  the laying of the foundation stones for the new  chapel “under auspicious circumstances”. They had decided to only build part of the intended plans as that was all they could afford. It was in the Leicester Third circuit.

The 1902 Primitive Methodist magazine reports that foundation stones had been laid for the enlargement and improvement of the chapel – eighteen years after it was opened.

The 1903 magazine reports the opening of the re-developed chapel.  Of its previous building it says “for ugliness and inconvenience, it was simply indescribable; as it is, it is a handsome, commodious and in all respects a desirable property.”  The new chapel accommodated 500 and the premises included a good school room and a number of classrooms.  Membership, which had dropped as low as 6, had gone up to 83 with 87 scholars in the Sunday school.

The chapel was one of the venues for the 1907 Primitive Methodist Conference when it came to Leicester.  At that time it was known as Clipstone Street.  However, Clipstone Street as a road does not appear on a current street map; but the street name sign is still on the right hand side side wall. It overlooks a yard, the entrance to which is blocked by gates.  The whole area has been subject to considerable redevelopment and Clipstone Street as such has disappeared.

In time the chapel became known as Highfields chapel. It is on the current Melbourne Road. Some of the commemorative tablets on the outside of the chapel can be seen in the document below.

Reference

Primitive Methodist magazine 1884 page 60

Primitive Methodist magazine1902 page 315

Primitive Methodist magazine1903 page 247

 

Downloads

Remaining readable commemorative tablets at the former Clipstone Street Primitive Methodist chapel, Leicester

Comments about this page

  • By 1940 the chapel estate consisted of
    (i) A chapel measuring 69 feet by 44 feet and seating 370 in pews. There was no gallery
    (ii) Two Sunday school halls measuring 32½ feet by 31 feet and 27 feet by 19 feet.
    (iii) Five vestries or classrooms.
    Sources
    John Rylands Library University of Manchester, DDPD1 Methodist Church Buildings: Statistical returns including seating accommodation as at July 1st 1940/677 Curzon Street Circuit

    By G W Oxley (20/04/2022)
  • The description that you have provided gives an excellent in site into how the chapel layout was.

    I remember sitting with my grandma in one the rows of pews while my grandpa sat with the choir for which he was a member for many many years.

    Lovely memories. Thank you

    By JEAN RAMSDALE (16/03/2021)
  • My grandparents lived in Clipstone Street and they attended the Methodist Chapel. My parents were married at the chapel in 1952 and I was christened there as a baby in 1954.
    I have very fond memories of the street and can still remember so much about the street and the shops there.
    My grandparents were so sorry to leave the street.

    By JEAN RAMSDALE (12/03/2021)
  • Leicester, Melbourne Road/Clipstone Road/Highfields, Primitive Methodist Chapel, Leicestershire
    Melbourne Road/Clipstone Road/Highfields, Primitive Methodist Chapel was built in 1883. The architect was RP Ridder of 20 Joliffe Street, Princes Road, Liverpool. His plans show a traditional design consisting of a range of rooms in a semi basement with the galleried chapel at first floor level. The lower floor was unusual in that it was designated as a “gospel temperance hall” rather than a school room. The hall itself occupied the northern two thirds of the space and had a platform at one end. Along its southern side were four classrooms. This floor was accessed from the front of the building and through a dedicated entrance on the north side. Behind the hall and classrooms was a passage giving access to the yards on the south side, to stairs to the chapel, to an infants’ classroom in a structure built at an oblique angle to the main building, to a tea room, to another classroom, to toilets, and to the heating chamber. The upper floor was reached from the front of the building by a combination of external and internal steps. The interior contained three blocks of seating divided by two aisles. The pulpit was at the end with blocks of seating facing inwards at each side. Behind was a passage leading to two classrooms above the infants’ room, stairs to the temperance hall, and two vestries. The gallery occupied three sides and there was an orchestra behind the pulpit. A feature of the exterior is the choice of a white brick with red dressings for the two sides facing the highway. The two sides which would have been hidden by other buildings were in the more usual red brick.In 1940 the chapel had seating for 370 in pews and there were two schoolrooms and five other rooms.
    Sources
    Leicestershire etc. Record Office 23D67/12889 Leicester City building plans
    Methodist Accommodation returns, 1940
    Site visit 8.9.2018

    By G W Oxley (19/10/2018)
  • Leicester Record Office:

    Ref. DE6043/ 115: Highfields PM Church/Chapel Sunday School & Gospel Temperance Hall, Account Book, 1882-1917.  

    By Raymond E.O.Ella (05/03/2018)

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