Members of the King’s Lynn Wesleyan Methodist Association, which gave birth to Lynn’s Free Methodists, first occupied a chapel (unknown location) in 1834. Sometime later, they used the Baptist schoolroom in Broad Street until moving into what became a galleried chapel in North Clough Lane – Hillen gives 1843 but press reports suggest 1837. Relocation to the Ebenezer on London Road took place in 1854 after it was vacated by the Wesleyan Reform Association.
Merging with Reformers in Downham Market – Reformers in Lynn had already merged with the New Connexion – they joined the United Methodist Free Church in 1857 as members of the Lynn and Downham circuit. By the time they quit the Ebenezer their numbers were low.
There is no mention of them (nor the Lynn section of the circuit) in the 1899 UMFC statistics. There can be no doubt that the presence of the New Connexion and its circuit accounted for the dearth of Free Methodist chapels locally.
North Clough Lane (long gone) was situated in the vicinity of what is now the old post office in Baxter’s Plain. After closing, the chapel was used as a private school until it went the way of the Lane during the clearances of circa 1860. There is no image of this chapel.
Details of the former Ebenezer (pictured) can be found on this site under: King’s Lynn Wesleyan Reform Chapels.
Sources include
- Lynn Advertiser 18th April 1843
- Free Methodist Handbook 1899
- History of the Borough of King’s Lynn pub 1907 Hillen H
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