Acklam Zion Primitive Methodist chapel
Ryedale North Yorkshire: also known as East Acklam
Acklam or (East Acklam) is in Ryedale, North Yorkshire. Before 1974 it was in the East Riding.
1819: When William Clowes arrived in Hull in January 1819, one of his first converts and the most important was John Oxtoby or ‘praying Johnny’. He was illiterate but a gifted preacher. While Clowes moved north and east out of Hull, Oxtoby moved westwards to the area where he had been born near Great Givendale. After his first success at North Cave he moved to Acklam high on the western edge of the Wolds where he met the local sympathetic clergyman Rev Mr Simpson. John Oxtoby preached in a house. Ref: Truss, P.M. (2016) P M in the Yorkshire Wolds c. 1820-1932
1821: Soon after this first encounter with Primitive Methodism a Chapel was built in 1821.
It was square and built of stone with a hipped pantile roof. – Ref: Bulmer’s Directory 1892.
1867: Acklam is in the list of Primitive Methodist Chapels which were registered before 1867 in the East Riding. Recorded as being in the Malton circuit. Ref: PM website
1868 – 9: Primitive Methodist Preachers Plan, Pocklington Circuit. Acklam is recorded on this plan. Also recorded are two prayer leaders who resided in Acklam named as J. Holmes and M. Moody. Ref: PM website
1885: Acklam formerly belonged to the Pocklington Circuit until boundary changes in 1885 moved Acklam and Leavening into the Malton circuit.
Malton Circuit 1906 ‘In the opposite direction traps go out to Leavening and East Acklam. From the latter York Minster, fourteen miles distant, can be seen, while thirty miles beyond it, on the deep horizon, is just visible, on a clear day, the mighty city of Leeds. These two places formerly belonged to the Pocklington Circuit. Since their association with Malton they have scarcely paid for trap hire, but of late there are signs of improvement.’ Ref: Christian Messenger 1906/328
1916: Malton Circuit Plan Jan, Feb, March – there were only 8 members. Ref: PM Website
Acklam Primitive Methodist Chapel was built in 1821, a very early Primitive Methodist Chapel. It was first in the Pocklington circuit but it became part of the Malton circuit in 1885.
The number of members dropped (8 in 1906) and worship ceased. At this time there was a PM Chapel in Leavening and Acklam, less than one mile apart. It was sold in 1937. It was a large building.
1995: It was recorded that it was a stable. Ref: East Riding Chapels, houses D. and S Neave
2020: sometime after 1995 The old Chapel building had been turned into a house. Still to be seen is the plaque on the wall which says Zion Chapel 1821.
Raymond EO Ella tells us that East Riding of Yorkshire Archives, Beverley, has the following information about this chapel:
- Ref. MRP/11: East Acklam Primitive Methodist Chapel, built 1821, sold 1936/7. File containing Insurance Policies, 1873, 1922, 1927. Schedule of Deeds 1815, 1821-1888. List of New Trustees 19th Nov 1920. Sale papers 1936-1937. Other papers
Editor’s note:
This page combines two formerly separate pages, one listed under Acklam and one listed under East Acklam
Comments about this page
As the author of the page listing chapels registered before 1867 could I just clarify that the final column states which Registration District a chapel was in, not which Circuit. As your excellent account makes clear Acklam was in the Pocklington PM Circuit until 1885.
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