Before 1875 there are references to Wesleyan Chapels in Hall Croft (1851) and Field Street (1860). Given that their seating capacity was the same it seems likely that these were the same building. In 1851 it was reported to have been built in 1796 and to provide 200 free and 100 other sittings and in 1873 there was seating for 300 persons (78 lettable, 64 free and 85 for children, on the basis of 16 inches per sitting). Given that they were in the same street it is likely that this chapel was demolished to make way for a new chapel in 1875.
Sources
William White, Directory of Leicestershire and Rutland, 1863
The National Archives HO129/415/1/8/23 1851 Ecclesiastical census
Wesleyan seating returns, 1873, p 58
Leicestershire, etc. Record Office, N/M 207/28 Accommodation return, 1873
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For further information please see my history of 250 years of Methodism in Shepshed published in 2007 and available as a download on the page ‘Shepshed Christchurch Methodist Church’. Christchurch was established in 1969 by the amalgamation of the former Field Street ex-Wesleyan and Charnwood Road ex-Primitive churches. Christchurch occupies the former Field Street premises which have since been extensively upgraded.
Some confusion here. Hall Croft and Field Street are not the same street. The Hall Croft chapel was quite small and I greatly doubt that it had the equivalent seating capacity although it had a small gallery. Field Street was a new build in 1878 in a prominent location on an adjacent street to meet expanding needs.
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