Cleaverton Street (Cleverton) Primitive Methodist chapel

The Wiltshire Record Society’s publication of the list of Wiltshire Dissenters’ Meeting House Certificates and Registrations 1689-1852 lists three Primitive Methodist entries for Cleverton in Lea and Cleverton.

• 19 Nov. 1828 (9 Dec. 1828).  A house and premises now in the holding and occupation of James Whale … of Cleverton.
• 25 April 1832 (24 May 1832). A chapel and premises now in the holding and occupation of Francis Day …  of Little Somerford.
• 31 Dec. 1836 A chapel and premises in the possession, holding and occupation of Francis Day … of Cleverton.

At the morning, afternoon, and evening services held on Census Sunday in 1851 congregations averaged 54.

Cleaverton Street is one of three Primitive Methodist chapels (along with Grittenham and  Great Somerford) listed in a note added by the Registrar to the 1851 Census of Places of Public Religious Worship on May 8th 1852.

These returns must have been missing from the first batch sent to the Census Office and have been prepared in May 1852 by the Registrar, although there are actually returns for Cleverton and Grittenham dated, as they should be, 31 March 1851.

British History Online tells us that a new chapel, small and of stone with brick dressings, was built in 1874  and was still  open in 1989. You can see a picture of the chapel on the Circuit website here.

Are Cleaverton Street and Cleverton the same place? They are both in the same local Return District and in 1851 spellings were not as established as they are now, especially with lower literacy levels.

Reference
Chandler J (1984) Wiltshire Dissenters’ Meeting House Certificates and Registrations 1689-1852  Wiltshire Record Society Alan Sutton Publishing, Gloucester

British History online accessed on 28/10/2019 at https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol14/pp119-126#p41