Sheep Lane Wesleyan Methodist Chapel

Potsgrove, Bedfordshire

Sheep Lane is a hamlet in the parish of Potsgrove. Now only a few houses and a pub remain from what was a sizeable community that included 3 chapels and a school.

 The house of Elizabeth Sayles in Sheep Lane, Potsgrove was registered for Wesleyan worship on 12/26 November 1824 by John Furness (Wesleyan Minister), Elizabeth Sayles, Richard Eland.

 A Wesleyan chapel was built and this was registered for worship by William Richardson of Leighton Buzzard, bookseller (local preacher) on 15 July 1863.

 The 1873 Returns of accommodation in Wesleyan Methodist Chapels 1873 records this chapel as having 110 Sittings.

 Sheep Lane Chapel maintained a range of activities. For example in 1897, A Service of Song entitled ‘The Cobbler’s wife and how she saved her husband’ was given by ‘friends from Great Brickhill’. ‘A collection was made for lighting and warming the chapel.’

 As the hamlet of Sheep Lane depopulated, the Wesleyan Chapel closed in 1960 and the registration for worship cancelled on 22 May 1964.

 

Sources and References

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

Returns of accommodation In Wesleyan Methodist Chapels 1873

Luton times and Advertiser 10 December 1897

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Record Service – Community Archives website

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