Dent Primitive Methodist Chapel West Yorkshire

This building may have been erected in 1841

threshold of the Dent Primitive Methodist chapel
Pat Donnor 9th October 2021

Dent is a historic village. It lies in the beautiful valley of Dentdale within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The village remains relatively untouched with its cobbled streets and white washed cottages.

In the main street is Meadowside Café Bar. Looking at this building no one would believe it was once a Primitive Methodist chapel. It was! The self catering accommodation with it was once the Sunday School. The village was associated with Primitive Methodism between 1841 and 1934 so at the moment we are presuming that a Primitive Methodist chapel functioned here between those dates. In 1934 just after ‘Union ‘it is likely that the Primitives joined with the Wesleyans their chapel being directly across the road. No other information is available.

Photos taken November 2016

OS Map Ref:98:SD703871

Comments about this page

  • Dent Primitive Methodist Chapel
    This was built by a few young folk who wanted to attend Primitive meetings in Garsdale, and the Wesleyan Methodist elders refused permission on pain of being excluded. They duly attended Garsdale and were excluded, so they retaliated by building their own chapel in 1841 opposite. It still has PM embedded on the threshold to Meadsowside Café. It was originally on the Middleham Circuit but in 1884 a Dent Circuit was formed and it was incorporated into this. In 1933, with dwindling numbers the two factions rationalised their differences, and joined together, the Primitive Chapel being sold off. In 1880 a Mr Greenbank of York left 10 shillings to be used for the support of the Primitive Methodist Sunday School in Dent and the support, lodging and maintenance of the travelling minister while in Dent performing his duty there to the benefit of the Primitive Methodist Society in that district.

    Ref : Dent Heritage Centre

    By Pat Donnor (09/11/2021)

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