Shottenden is a large hamlet south east of Faversham. The Primitive Methodist chapel on Denne Manor Lane which accommodated has been converted into a house but still carries a stone above the middle window saying ‘Primitive Methodist Chapel 1875’
There was once a home-made war memorial here made from oak and pine. It is now in Chilham Church for safe-keeping. Even in this tiny place eight men linked with the village died in the Great War (although details of only seven are given)
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I found this post while searching for family history. This happens to be the house that my grandparents lived in. My grandfather passed away in the late 80’s / early 90’s while I was quite young. My grandmother lived in the house until beyond 2006ish (the last time I had contact with that side of my family) – This was the Valentine house where my father and his brother and sister grew up.
From the stories that I can remember, they bought the house in the 1960’s as a disused Church. At the time, the building was almost completely gutted and contained a single room. The house building was renovated to be a family home. The downstairs comprising of an entrance lobby with WC and shower room to either side, followed by a large open plan livingroom/kitchen/dining room. A new floor was internally constructed with 3(?) bedrooms and a family bathroom.
A brick garage block was constructed near the property which was later partially dismantled and re-built as my grandfather built a large boat / small yacht in the garden which couldn’t fit past the garage once ready for launching.
Although I have memories of staying in this Church / house as a child, the information about the building may not be 100% accurate and are based on stories from my mum who is sadly no longer with us to confirm/correct them.
Reply to Jo Weaver.
Yes, according to my father, Reuben Drury and his family lived in Hare’s Cottage and latermoved into Vernon Cottage just around the corner from Hare’s Cottage. My father, Maurice, was born in Hare’s Cottage in 1900.
I think I now live in the house your grandfather lived in – Hares Cottage. We have recently moved here and very interested in the history of our home.
My interest in the Primitive Methodists is that my grandfather was a lay preacher and lived with his family in Shottenden from shortly before the turn of the twentieth century to about 1908 – my father was born there and went to school in Chilham. Family legend has it that my grandfather, a carpenter, made a pew, pulpit or something of that sort, and that he had carved his ‘signature’ on it. Should any of your website visitors have any knowledge of this I’d be very interested.
I’d also be very interested in any information any of your subscribers might have about my grandfather Reuben Drury. Earlier in his live, sometime around 1881, he was a Colporteur. At the time he was living in Folkestone, but I have no information about his religious allegiance at that time.
A colporteur was someone employed by a religious society to distribute bibles and other religious tracts.
The chapel pictured above as Shottenden Primitive Methodist Chapel may not be correct. Another chapel, now like the one pictured a private house, with date stone ‘inscribed’ Primitive Methodist Chapel 1875 – pictured above – better fits the description in the text.
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