Aldershot Ebenezer Primitive Methodist chapel

Ash Road, ALDERSHOT GU12 4ED

Ash Road Aldershot Primitive Methodist chapel
Keith Guyler 1993

Ash Road Primitive Methodist Chapel on the corner of Ash Rd and Herrett St dates from 1885 and was known as “Ebenezer”.  It had six foundation stones all bearing the date 14th October 1885.

The 1885 Primitive Methodist magazine records  the laying of the memorial stones for the chapel, school room and vestries. The site was close by the old public house in which the Aldershot mission began some years previously. In 1885 that was occupied by “our friend” Mr S Terry for “his business and residence”.

The new chapel was expected to cost £1,000 of which they already had £700.  Aldershot station was complemented for having paid off £900 of chapel debt in the previous year, with special mention going to Messrs Terry, Beesley and Sergeant Musselwhite.

It served as a place of worship until 1958 when the church executive sold the old building and built a new church at the junction of Stone St and Herrett St.

The opening of the chapel is commemorated in the following year’s magazine.  We learn that the society had worshipped previously in the Jolly Farmer public house which had been acquired by Mr Terry.

Google Street View shows a sequence of pictures from an empty building plot to a completed residential development on the site.

Reference

Primitive Methodist magazine 1885 page 760

Primitive Methodist magazine 1886 page 381

Comments about this page

  • Good story!

    By Christopher Hill (09/06/2021)
  • The Aldershot Military Gazette (Saturday 30 September 1876, p.5) reports that “On Monday September 25th, the scholars of the Primitive Methodist sunday school, Ash Road, gave an entertainment in connection with the opening of a library for the use of the school. It consisted of addresses and recitations, which were very creditably given. Miss A. Pilcher, of Farnham, presided at the harmonium…. The senior scholars showed their appreciation of the Rev. T. Thatcher’s service and interest, in helping them prepare for the meeting….” It may be noted that Rev Thomas Thatcher married Annie Pilcher some 3 years later.

    By Tom Burnham (08/06/2021)

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