Fleet Fen United Methodist Free Church, Lincolnshire

D Secker

This tiny chapel, in what was then a remote part of Fleet Fen, was built on Mill Bank. Memorial stones were laid in 1872. Completed the following year, the building had seating for around 75.

The opening, held on Friday 7th March 1873, was conducted by Rev J Woolner, superintendent of the Spalding FM Circuit. A fierce storm that day prevented many folk from attending. As a consequence, an additional tea was served the following Monday – chapels and tea being inseparable at times!

The population of the Fen, though scattered, was not inconsiderable, and until the building opened there was no place of worship for some distance.

Originally it was in the Spalding UMFC Circuit, then Holbeach after 1882 (later becoming United Methodist Church); then Holbeach Methodist Circuit post-union; and finally the South Holland Circuit.

As with many country chapels, it had a large Sunday school attendance but no separate schoolroom. However, lack of space failed to deter a capacity congregation for the Centenary celebrations in 1973, including a tea of course.

This place never lacked the faithful: at least two generations of a local farming family, the Bollons, were stalwarts here and provided, inter alia, Sunday school superintendents and teachers, local preachers, stewards and organist. There were others too, and their passing led to decreasing numbers – just four members by 1998 and closure soon after.

Not far down the road is what remains of another tiny chapel, the Primitive Methodist of Whaplode Fen (built 1905). Fleet Fen’s chapel escaped that dereliction and is now a domestic residence. An identical building constructed at the rear, and connected via a covered way, demonstrates what can be done, tastefully and sympathetically, to conserve and convert a former chapel.

On the front gable, the date-stone remains: Free Methodist Church Erected 1872.