Fordwells Primitive Methodist chapel

Fordwells, WITNEY, OX29 9PP

Fordwells Primitive Methodist chapel
Keith Guyler 1990

Victoria County History for Oxfordshire tells us that :

“In 1857 the Witney Primitive Methodist circuit resolved to establish a chapel at Asthall Leigh, and in 1858 and 1859 started camp meetings at Field Assarts and Asthall Leigh respectively. Services were held in a house at Field Assarts from 1860 to 1862. A chapel was eventually built at Fordwells, between Field Assarts and Asthall Leigh in the new parish of Wychwood, apparently in late 1862.  Constructed of coursed limestone, it provided 140 sittings. From 1900 to 1910, 80 people attended the chief services, rising to 90 from 1911 to 1914, but falling to 50 from 1915 to 1932. Membership from 1900 to 1909 was usually between 24 and 28.A Sunday School had 40–59 pupils in 1866–70 and usually 16–24 in 1912–31.  In 1892 there were two Sunday services and an evening service on Thursdays. Eight of the Witney circuit’s 37 preachers were from Fordwells or Asthall Leigh. By 1951 there was one Sunday service (at 3 p.m.) and an evening service on alternate Tuesdays.  The chapel remained in use until 1970.”

In Keith Guyler’s 1990 photograph and Google StreetView in 2009, the building is shown as a house.


Reference

British History Online accessed February 5th 2015

 

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