Beeston Willoughby Street MNC chapel occupied two sites on opposite sides of Willoughby Street. The first chapel was built on the west side in 1803. In 1851 it provided 178 free and 92 other sittings. This building was used as a Sunday school after the new chapel opened on the east side of the road in 1875. Over the years more buildings were added behind the old chapel whose site extended to Union Street. By 1901 £1460 had been spent on the original construction and the subsequent enlargement of the chapel, school, and houses. A further £35 had been spent on purchasing an organ or other instrument. The chapel seated 320 and the school 207. In 1923 the new chapel was said to have cost £1350 and that it seated 250
By 1940 the chapel property consisted of a chapel which seated 180 in pews, three school halls and three other rooms. In 1970 The chapel seated 220 and the school 275. There were two classrooms.
The old chapel building was replaced by what is now the Oasis Christian Centre in 1936. This is now the only building which survives from the period of Methodist occupancy. In recent years the 1875 chapel has been demolished and replaced by two houses and modern buildings have also been erected behind the 1936 building
Sources
Margery Tranter, ed., The Derbyshire returns to the religious census, 1851, The Derbyshire Record Society, XXIII 1995, p. 61
A Digest of the Minutes, Institutions, Polity, Doctrines, Ordinances and Literature of the Methodist New Connexion, by William Baggally, p 150, Nottingham Circuit
Methodist New Connexion: Returns of Trust Estates as presented in Special Schedules, January 1901 Nottingham District, Stapleford Circuit
OS 25 inch Nottinghamashire XLI.12 1913
Nottinghamshire Record Office MR3/46 Special trust schedules and related papers c 1923-4, Long Eaton and Stapleford Circuit
John Rylands Library University of Manchester, MAC Lawson, Methodist Church Buildings: Statistical returns including seating accommodation as at July 1st 1940 /929 Long Eaton Circuit.
The Methodist Church Department of Chapel Affairs, Statistical Returns, Part 1, 1972 Returns made 06.01.1970 Long Eaton Circuit, p 37
Site visit 13.7.2024
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This is not an accurate account.
The Willoughby Street Methodist Church occupied the building on the East side of Willoughby Street marked Chap. on the map. I went there as a young child until it closed around 1964/5. The building was demolished and became half of Beeston Market until that closed and the current houses were built on the site.
The property marked Hall on the map was the Gospel Mission and the pictures show the Oasis Christian Centre which currently occupies the site. Their history can be found here https://www.beestonoasis.org.uk/our-history.
The two organisations and therefore buildings were never connected.
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