Luton Mount Tabor Primitive Methodist Chapel, Castle Street

Bedfordshire

Luton Mount Tabor Primitive Methodist chapel with Sunday school on the right of the chapel
Englesea Brook collection ENBPM:2020.120b
Luton Mount Tabor Primitive Methodist chapel
Englesea Brook collection ENBPM:2020.120a
Foundation stone for Luton Mount Tabor Primitive Methodist chapel
Englesea Brook collection ENBPM:2020.120c

Situated on the corner of Castle and Hibbert Streets, Luton, Mount Tabor PM Chapel was built in 1897. Registration for worship at Mount Tabor PM was made by  John Leach 8 Stockwood  Cresc., Luton, minister on 7 April 1898. The following year, registration was made for marriages on 18 March. The chapel, built at a cost of £2,000 seated 650 people. Originally the chapel was part of Luton II Circuit until 1902 when it became head of the new Luton III Circuit.

The Luton News on 28 February 1902 carried a detailed report of celebrations for Mount Tabor’s 4th Anniversary under the title ‘A Crushing Debt, And £2,500 more in the air’. The report noted that Mr John Wilson MP preached morning and evening at the anniversary services. On the following Monday afternoon  tea was provided in aid of the Chapel Trust presided over by Halley Stewart JP. At the tea, the Trust reported that at the beginning of the previous year they had an opening financial balance of £11 7s 3d and debts at the end of the year were now about £2,400. However, there were 350 scholars in the Sunday School and as a result, it was proposed to build new Sunday School premises at a cost of £2,500. Despite the financial uncertainty the new Sunday School premises were opened in 1905 costing £2,140 and built by W.G. Dunham.

Following Methodist Union, Mount Tabor chapel became part of Luton Methodist Circuit until 1965 when it became part of Luton South Circuit.

Mount Tabor chapel closed in 1969 when the congregation joined the former Park Town Chapel congregation in a new church in Strathmore Avenue. The registrations for worship and marriages were both cancelled on 22 October 1969.

Sources and References

Bedfordshire Chapels and Meeting Houses: Official Registration 1672-1901 Volume 75 Bedfordshire Historical Record Society – Edited by Edwin Welch

1898 Kelly’s Directory

Luton News 28 February 1902

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Record Service – Community Archives website

Comments about this page

  • The 1897 Primitive Methodist magazine (page 314) notes that the London Second Station has just received sanction to erect chapel in Hibbert Street.

    By Christopher Hill (11/05/2022)
  • You can read more about Mount Tabor chapel in the Christian Messenger accounts of Luton Second Circuit (1900 page 119) and Luton Third Circuit (1906 page 238). The accounts include pencil sketches before and after the Sunday School was added. It is labelled there as London Road Primitive Methodist chapel

    On Street View in 2019, the building is still in use as LCF church.

    By Christopher Hill (26/10/2020)
  • I’ve added further pictures to the page from the Englesea Brook Museum collection

    By Christopher Hill (27/08/2020)
  • The foundation stone dated 9 February 1898 states James Kerridge & Sons were the architect.  The architect of the 1905 Sunday school was Mould & Porritt.

    On closure it was taken over by the Pentecostalists.

    By Colin Dews (28/02/2018)

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.