Middlestown Primitive Methodist chapel

The 1918 Christian Messenger tells us that “Middlestown is a prosperous mining village about two miles from Horbury. The present school-chapel was built in 1887, at a cost of about £650. An effort is now in progress to clear the remaining debt of £60, by the end of the year. Our one lack here is suitable accommodation for carrying on our work, but our hope is that with the spirit of enterprise now manifested, the time will not be far distant when efforts will be made for a new Building Fund. Some excellent fellowship meetings are held here, notably the Sunday evening prayer meeting, the weekly class-meeting, the Young People’s C.E. meeting, and a “Sisterhood” meeting which was commenced about two years ago, which is well attended not only by the women of our own church, but from all the churches in the village. “

The Primitive Methodist magazine of 1886 tells us that the memorial stones for a new school chapel have been laid in the Horbury Station, although it doesn’t tell us where.  It is unlikely to be Horbury itself as that chapel was opened ten years earlier, and the date and the description as a school chapel fit well with Middlestown.

A Primitive Methodist chapel is shown on the 1930 Ordnance Survey map at the junction of Cross Road with Sandy Lane.  On the two previous editions – 1914 and 1892 it is simply marked as Sunday School, without any indication of denomination.  There is modern housing on the site in 2019

Reference

Christian Messenger 1918/296

Primitive Methodist magazine September 1886 page 572