West Cramlington Primitive Methodist chapel

Alexandra Park, Cramlington NE23

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

transcribed by David Tonks

chapels of the Seaton Delaval circuit

Christian Messenger 1910/315

The Primitive Methodist Magazine for February 1851 includes a description by Thomas Smith of the opening of the Primitive Methodist chapel at West Cramlington.

West Cramlington was a cluster of houses around a colliery to the east of Cramlington itself. The Ordnance Survey map 1858-80 series shows both Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist chapels there. The Prims had previously met in a colliery building, then in a small upstairs room – so small the “poor children were parboiled in it”. In 1850 the colliery owner rented a site to the society cheaply and society members built the chapel themselves after work. It cost £131, and at the time of opening, all but £40 had been raised.

The chapel is still there on 1919-1922 maps, but has disappeared (along with all the colliery houses) by 1962.

Reference

Primitive Methodist Magazine February 1851 p114