Workington John Street Primitive Methodist Chapel (ii)

second chapel 1883

Workington, John Street, the site where the chapel stood, 24.5.2016

John Street chapel was built of stone and brick in 1883. In 1940 it had 400 sittings on pews. There was a schoolroom and nine other rooms. It was closed on 31 May 1965 after merger with another Methodist Church five minutes away. It has since been demolished and the site now (May 2015) is occupied by retail premises. No image of the building has been located. (Cumbria Archive Service, Carlisle DFCM14/13, DFCM2/145,; Carlisle Library, 1A287, Methodist Property Statistics 1940;

Cumbria Archive Service, Whitehaven YDCM2/36 )

Grid ref NY004287

Editor’s note (CH): Raymond E.O.Ella gives us the following references and comment:-

“Cumbria Archive Service, Whitehaven branch:

Ref. YDFCM 1/2/13: 3 Draft Agreements, 1884, 1886, 1902. Right to Light and Air through opening windows. Workington Primitive Methodist Chapel, John Street.

Note by me: This sort of issue is on-going with many properties, but recently concluded  “No One owns Airspace”, e.g., above ground level and does not touch a lower boundary fencing.”

Comments about this page

  • In 1883 the Maryport Advertiser described the new building in its report of the opening ceremonies:
    The new chapel is built on the site of the old one in John Street, thus occupying a very central position, and is a building of much greater pretensions than its predecessor, both in appearance and workmanship. The plan consists of a schoolroom in the basement, 58ft. 6 in. by 31ft. 6in. and a classroom, 13ft by 9ft 6in. The chapel is 49ft. 6in. by 31ft. 6in., with a gallery on three sides. The style of the architecture adopted is pointed Gothic. The front facing John Street, which is the principal entrance, has a very handsome doorway, and being elevated above the street level is reached by a flight of polished steps. Over the doorway in the centre of the gable is a very neat tracery window with two single and two double lights to light the gallery and staircases. The beauty of the elevation is greatly enhanced by the introduction of four buttresses, on the base of each of which is placed one of four memorial stones which were laid last year by Mr. H. Bowes, Mr. G. J. Snelus, Mr. C. J. Valentine and Dr Douglas. The stone dressings are of Aspatria stone. The chapel is calculated to seat about 600 people, and the schoolroom has accommodation for about 250 children, with all necessary appliances for tea meetings and other entertainments. The front is enclosed by a neat palisading. The work has been satisfactorily carried out by the contractors, viz,:-mason’s work, Mr L. Ferguson: joiner’s work, Mr. R. Fox; slating , Mr. Whitfield; plumbing, gas fitting and glazing, Mr W Strathern; painting, varnishing and decorating Mr. J. Carmichael; heating on the small bore system, Mr. Rundle (Shipley, Yorkshire). The architect is Mr. W. G. Scott, of the firm of Messrs. Scott and Murray, of Workington.
    Source The Maryport Advertiser, 13 July 1883 p2

    By Geoffrey Oxley (01/05/2022)
  • I am sure Christopher Hill is right. As far as I am aware there were no other PM chapels in Workington in 1882.

    By G W Oxley (13/04/2020)
  • The 1882 Primitive Methodist magazine tells us the old chapel has been pulled down and the foundation stones for a new Primitive Methodist chapel has been laid at Workington , in the Whitehaven station. The ceremonies were attended by “a number of gentlemen belonging to the town and neighbourhood”
    The new chapel was expected to cost around £1,700.

    Because of the agreement of the dates, I would take this as being the chapel in John Street.

    Reference
    Primitive Methodist magazine 1882 page 637

    By Christopher Hill (12/04/2020)

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