Grandborough Primitive Methodist chapel

Church Road Grandborough Rugby CV23 8DH

Grandborough Primitive Methodist chapel in the Leamington circuit was opened on July 6th and 7th 1856 to serve a neighbourhood of around 500 [people.  The village had been missioned for the Connexion some twenty years earlier by Messrs. Leaker and Langham. Subsequently, services were held in brother E. Tims house, and in time the society bought a part of brother Tims’s garden to be the site of the chapel.

Preachers at the opening were Rev. G. Warner, of Malmesbury, Rev. J. Webb, Baptist minister, of Thullerstone and Rev. A. Smith, Baptist minister, of Branstone. “On Monday a tea-meeting was held; and although it was a busy time, being hay harvest, we had ninety persons to tea.”  The celebrations were recorded by H Platt in the Primitive Methodist Magazine of 1856.

The chapel is still active in 2017 as Grandborough Methodist church but has closed by 2022.

There is more about the chapel on the Grandborough village website

Anne Langley provides further information about the Grandborough society:

“Mr Edmund Timms licensed his home as a preaching house in 1851 and then provided land for building the chapel. The plaque above the door says: ‘PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHAPEL ERECTED 1856’. The chapel cost £90 to build of red brick with a slate roof. Joseph Arch’s daughter preached from a wagon in the village in 1871, and Elijah Cadman, a converted chimney sweep and famous local activist, preached here and got so carried away that he kicked out a panel in the pulpit (now commemorated by a plaque).

The porch was added during renovation in the 1980s. An extension at the side has a plaque saying ‘ERECTED TO THE GLORY OF GOD JUNE 1991 I SAMUEL 7 v. 12’. The original brickwork looks to be in need of some attention. It was part of the Rugby circuit. The chapel appears in trade directories from 1876-1932 and on OS maps from the 1880s onwards.  It is still in use as a Methodist Church.

Sources: Warwickshire trade directories; OS maps; www.grandborough.info/html/chapel.html; site visit 2017.  “

The full story of the pulpit is here, in the transcription of the informative plaque adjacent to the Pulpit at Grandborough Methodist Church

“The Brass Tablet affixed to the front Panel of the adjoining Pulpit was unveiled on Whit Monday May 21st 1923.  The Incident concerning the Panel was occasioned by Elijah Cadman who was born at Coventry on December 10th 1843, and converted at Rugby in the 21st year of his age, soon after which he became a Local Preacher of the Methodist Church in this Circuit, and subsequently, a Salvation Army Commissioner.

About the year 1870 he came to conduct a Service in this Chapel, and had prepared notes for his Sermon from St Matthew, 22nd Chapter, Verse 11: “A man which had not on a wedding garment.”  In the midst of the Service he had a feeling of uncertainty, and, kneeling in the Pulpit prayed earnestly, when a voice seemed to say, “It’s that Paper” :  then, tearing up the notes for his Sermon he left the fragments on the floor.  Upon rising to continue the Service, another Subject came to him, “The Temptation of Christ” : St Matthew, 4th Chapter, from which he then preached:  he states –

“I was telling the Congregation that after the Devil ventured his last temptation,  Jesus ordered him off, and gave him a kick that sent him Bowling through the air.  My foot, being in harmony with my Subject, gave such a kick as to send the front Panel of the Pulpit flying down the aisle, whereupon some of the Members shouted “Glory” “

Reference

Grandborough village website accessed April 2nd 2017 http://www.grandborough.info/html/chapel.html 

Primitive Methodist magazine September 1856 pp.552-553

 

 

Comments about this page

  • Thanks for the correction Barbara.
    The name Edmund comes from Anne Langley’s account and the Grandborough village website.

    By Christopher Hill (04/12/2020)
  • Edward Timms was my great grandfather, he played the organ in the chapel. I note you have his name as Edmund.

    By Barbara Linsley (29/11/2020)
  • Thanks to Anne Langley for providing a photo of the chapel as it is now.

    By Christopher Hill (11/01/2018)

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