There is no record of a Wesleyan Society here from which the Free Methodists would have come; but come they did. They established a Preaching Room around 1857 and joined the Downham Market Circuit of the newly formed United Methodist Free Churches (United Methodist Church from 1907). Services were held in a private school supported by Elizabeth Doyle, a prominent Quaker living at the Hall. In later years, a cottage was used as a chapel courtesy of the Crimplesham Estate.
At the turn of the C20th, the arrival of a well known London Congregationalist as occupier of Crimplesham Hall, proved to be fortuitous for both chapel and village. William Henry Brown, a stockbroker and agriculturist, provided funds for the building of a new chapel which doubled as a village hall – the chapel having exclusive use on Sundays and one weekday.
Opening on 24th July 1905, the building seated 180 – on chairs rather than pews in order to accommodate community activities. At a cost of £615 it was built by Tash, Langley & Co of King’s Lynn, and designed by Lynn architects Wm Jarvis & Co. A plaque on the front gable was inscribed: United Methodist Free Church And Village Hall. The build year can be seen above the porch entrance.
An inquiry in 1942 failed to resolve contentious issues concerning the public’s use of the facility. Nonetheless, the shared arrangement continued until 1977 when diminishing numbers forced the chapel’s closure.
Although apparently hoping to gift the building to the village, the Methodists were prevented in doing so by legal restrictions. Consequently, the village hall committee purchased the property in 1978 for £5,050.
Sources include
Free Methodist Manual 1899
Downham Market Gazette 31 December 1904 and 29 July 1905
Methodist Church Buildings: Statistical Returns 1940
Lynn Advertiser 13 November 1942 and 17 October 1978
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