Cowburn Primitive Methodist Chapel

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Cowburn Primitive Methodist Chapel

Christian Messenger 1910/216

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Photograph no.2 taken May 2021 by Elaine & Richard Pearce

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Photograph no. 3 taken May 2021 by Elaine & Richard Pearce

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Photograph no.4 taken May 2021 by Elaine & Richard Pearce

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Photograph no.5 taken May 2021 by Elaine & Richard Pearce

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Photograph no.6 taken May 2021 by Elaine & Richard Pearce

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Cowburn Jubilee celebration leaflet

provided by Richard Jennings

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Cowburn: Return from the Primitive Methodist chapel in the 1851 Census of Places of Public Religious Worship

transcribed by David Tonks

The Christian Messenger tells us “The Rev. John Gill … …at once took steps to erect a chapel at Cowburn for the “oot-bye folk.” At that time the services were held in a barn under a dwelling house by the roadside. Mr. Gill bent himself to the task, and not only succeeded in building a chapel, but also established a day school. ” Read more here.

Even though this chapel is called Cowburn there does not seem to be a place marked with that name on an OS map. On the OS map of 1963 there is Cowburn Shield and Rigg and on a later map of 2009  the ‘o’ of Cowburn becomes an ‘a’.

Cowburn was once part of the Haltwhistle Circuit. William Clowes visited there in 1822 and it is likely that there were already Primitive Methodists in the area at this time. (see above). By 1851 they may have moved as they provided a return for the 1851 Census of Places of Public Religious Worship (see photo). It states that 50 people were attending worship. However, on a map of 1866 no such place is shown.

In 1874 the building shown in the photographs was erected. On a poster of 1924  to mark the Golden Jubilee of the chapel it states that the Rev’d. William Graham arranged for the building whereas in the ‘Christian Messenger’ of 1910 the Rev’d. John Gill is accredited with it. One can presume that both men may have been responsible.

In 2021 the building had been converted into a private dwelling. It may have changed but the area around it has not. It sits on the wind swept Northumbrian Moors – a wild but beautiful place where once Roman soldiers patrolled Hadrian’s Wall. While there the Romans built an aqueduct. They took water from the Caw Burn by a circuitous route to the fort at Chesters. The Wall and Milecastle 41 are only a short distance from the chapel. What a setting for a Primitive Methodist Chapel.

There is no mention of a graveyard but propped up against the building ( see blow-up view of photo no. 2 & no.6) is a gravestone. It commemorates one Jane Jackson who died in 1895. — Erected by her two daughters  in loving memory of Jane Jackson who died at City and District Bank, Haltwhistle June 23rd 1895 aged 66 years.  ”Blessed are the died who died in the Lord”. This is another indication that there is much more to learn about Cowburn Chapel.

Reference

Christian Messenger 1910 page 216