Weston Hills United Methodist Free Church, Lincolnshire

Weston Hills is a hamlet in the civil parish of Weston near Spalding.

Situated on Austendike Road, it opened as United Methodist Free in 1871 with seating for around 100. It replaced an old Wesleyan chapel from which the Reformers had seceded and then occupied – the Wesleyan is listed on the Spalding circuit plan as early as 1819.

Mr H Wilkinson laid the foundation stone on 2nd March 1871, and proceedings were followed by a tea and concert in Mr Grummit’s barn.

The architect was C Brett and the builder J Moore, both of Spalding. The building, 33 ft long x 22 ft wide, cost £182. Renovation took place in 1896.

It became United Methodist in 1907. Following union in 1932 it dropped its sectional title (along with the former Primitive) becoming known as Austendike Methodist; the ex-Primitive becoming the Broadgate Methodist.

Circuit membership: Spalding United Methodist Free; Spalding United Methodist post 1907; and Spalding Methodist post-union.

Falling attendances in the 1960s led to its closure. In 1969 the few remaining members, along with some other chapels designated for closure, refused to allow the sale of their buildings for secular use. In a statement made to the press they declared that they “would sooner have their chapels demolished than used for other than public worship”.

Demolished they were!

Sources include

The Christian World 10th March 1871
Lincolnshire Free Press 7th March 1871
Free Methodist Manual 1899
Methodist Church Buildings Statistical Returns 1940
Spalding Guardian 10th January 1969