Building record MDR9821 - Former Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Plains Lane, Blackbrook

The chapel is constructed of stone and measures 42 ft x 28½ ft. At the front (south) are two wooden doors, over one of these are carved the initials of the builder (John Slater) 'J.P.S' and the date of 1816. Slater built the chapel with the aid of local men. He was the son of Thomas Slater, the first Methodist in the area, who lived at Chapel Farm. In 1781 he gave a piece of land for the building of the chapel. The windows are round-headed with iron frames and thin iron glazing bars. There are four windows at the rear, two on each side (west and east), the front (south) is windowless. The old wooden pulpit still stands against the north wall [in 1971]. This is therefore a relatively early chapel built by local men in local stone and in a style (shown particularly in the windows) typical of its date. It is simple and unpretentious, unlike many of the chapels built later in the 19th century and is a good example of its date. It is being used [in 1971] for the storage of hay by the owner, who is a farmer. The walls and roof appear to be sound, however, inside the ceiling is down in places and there is little glass left in the windows. (1) The former non-conformist Methodist chapel is a Grade II building dated 1816. It is constructed from coursed rubble gritstone with coped gables to the north-west range, moulded eaves, and plain tiled roof. It has linked parallel ranges, with quoined doorways to the south-west gables, with a raised oval plaque bearing the date above the lintel to the north-west range. (2)