Terrington St John New Connexion/United Methodist Chapel, Norfolk

The former chapel
Photo: D secker

Situated in Ely Row, the extant building (pictured) is all brick and had seating for 150.

The 1883 edition of Kelly’s Directory says, “built about fifty years ago”, indicating a date of around 1833, although a rebuild of an earlier Wesleyan chapel c.1813 is possible.

As one of the first to join the Lynn Wesleyan Reform Association, the displacement of the Wesleyans here would have been around 1850. Amalgamation of Reformers with the New Connexion in Lynn occurred in 1854, after which the latter name was used.

By 1869 it still had the MNC title but in the 1880s was described as United Methodist Free. A statement in 1892 declared:
 

   “The chapel, through the exertions of the superintendent of Lynn Methodist New Connexion circuit (Rev W Stephen), formerly belonging to the circuit but of late years being in the hands of the Free Methodists, has lately been reclaimed.”

This followed a period of instability and haemorrhaging support for the cause, until the formidable Mr Stephen took charge. It was not the only congregation to have erred and strayed during those troublous times.

In 1907 it went the way of the New Connexion to become United Methodist; by the time of Methodist union (1932) this was one of only three chapels left in the Lynn UM circuit. Following reorganisation, it was transferred to Wisbech.

Closing in 2006, no other chapel once belonging to Lynn’s New Connexion kept its doors open for worship as long as this one.

It was replaced with the modern building opposite and is now a dwelling called The Old Church.


Sources include
Post Office Directory of Norfolk 1869
Kelly’s Directory of Norfolk 1883
Lynn News 10th December 1892
Methodist Church Buildings Statistical Returns 1940
Lynn News 13th September 1932

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