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Chrishall
Chrishall Methodist Chapel |
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Backbones of Chrishall Methodist Chapel
Before the Methodist Chapel was built in 1862, meetings were held in a
barn at Broad Green.
Later ‘that piece of land containing by estimation twelve
perches situate at Crowley End… whereon a cottage formally
stood, but whereon there has since been erected a Primitive Methodist
Chapel. To all which premises the Trustees were admitted tenants on the
twenty eighth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and sixty
two.’
(The original Trustees were Joshua Brand, Joseph Law, John Starr,
William Clarke, Thomas Pigg, Robert Brand , William Rodger, James
Guiver, Joseph Clarke, Philip Roger, Richard Drayton, James Greenhill,,
and William Barker.)
The document continues ‘held to them and their heirs in their
lifetime by copy of Court Roll fealty suit of court and the yearly rent
of one halfpenny’. Money for the purchase of the land for the
building of the chapel was lent by John Starr who lived at Broad Green.
This was paid back by regular payments made by a number of dedicated
people.
In view of the very low wages, any contributions must have represented
a considerable sacrifice, and it says much for their zeal and
steadfastness that the undertaking was faithfully carried out.
An indenture dated January 2nd 1915 records that ‘a piece of
land at the back of the chapel was purchased from William Palmer
Cowell’. The purchasers were Cornelius Miller (Assistant
Overseer), Oswald Cranwell (engine driver), William Ives (farmer),
Walter John Pigg (shoemaker), Robert Chambers (farmer), Albert Rogers
(builder), Charles Clarke (labourer), William Hubert Brand (shepherd),
Charles Flack (engine driver), George Enfield Flack and William
Mustill. The piece of land here mentioned was the burial ground.
Practical expression of faith was given by ‘local
preachers’ who, although they worked long hours for six days
a week, walked miles to outlying villages on Sundays to preach and
teach. Their names include Charles Tinworth, Charles Flack, Oswald
Cranwell, Albert Rogers, Nathan Ives, Sidney Pledger, Stephen Pledger,
Sidney Flack, Frederick Sigwood, Hubert Rogers, Samuel Rogers, George
Flack and Frank Pigg. No-one can doubt the sincerity of these men. Most
of them had received only a village school education but surely they
were following an unbeatable precedent - apart from St Luke, which of
the disciples were ‘educated’ men?
Written with permission from Irene Cranwell, Historian and and Fred Davies, Local
History Recorder.
