West Grafton Primitive Methodist chapel
West Grafton MARLBOROUGH SN8 3BY
A Meeting House Certificate was first applied for in West Grafton in 1820. A Primitive Methodist chapel was opened on the 9th October 1859. George Warner tells us in the 1859 Primitive Methodist magazine that when he arrived in the village he found they had a cottage but it was both unsanctioned and unsecured. The tenant claimed it and it was a “tedious and vexatious process at law” to get possession, but get possession they did. It was taken down and a chapel built
The new chapel had a slate roof, boarded floor, “rail back seats, plain forms and a rostrum”. It measured 21′ x 18′ and 11′ to wall plate, and cost £90, of which one third had been raised.
The opening involved services and a tea meeting for 100. Preachers at the opening were Revs Phelps, Lewis (Wesleyan) and George Warner.
The society grew even though “threats and bribes are freely used to keep the people from our services”
It was closed by 1964 and is now a private house – Chapel House.
Reference
Primitive Methodist magazine December 1859 page 742-743
Comments about this page
We are told in the information I’ve just added that ”threats and bribes are freely used to keep the people from our services”. Was this usual?
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