Swithland Wesleyan chapel was built in 1858, according to the sources, or 1856 according to the date stone. The 1845 Circuit plan includes a previous preaching place within the village. A full account of the Methodist presence in the village has been provided by Mark Temple, and this is now attached as a pdf.
A simple building, attached to an older dwelling house, the whole complex is now listed Grade II.
In the 1873 returns the chapel was thought to seat 100, and in 1940, 80 but, as Mark Temple describes, membership was always much lower, ranging from 14 in 1846 to 3 in 1881. When the Circuit property was reviewed in 1930 it was noted that services were only occasional, and there is no evidence from the circuit plans that the chapel had any members or services during the 1950s or early 1960s. The chapel closed in 1964.
Sources:
Richardson, Sidney Y. ‘Bright hope- Methodism in Loughborough 4: Turmoil’ Heritage vol. 8, no.2 p29
Loughborough Wesleyan Methodist Circuit. ‘Notes respecting chapels, schools and other trust properties in the Circuit … presented to Quarterly Meeting held at Loughborough on Saturday, 15th March, 1930’
Loughborough Methodist Circuit plans 1951-1970
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Thank you very much to Mark Temple of Woodhouse Eaves Methodist Church who has supplied a full account of the life of Swithland chapel.
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