The chapel illustrated was built in 1877 on the corner of Orchard Street and The Boulevard. We are told that the UMFC had a mission chapel in Alma Street, which was no longer large enough, and that they moved into this building on November 26th, 1877.
Built of blue limestone, the ground floor of the chapel seated 360, and the gallery a further 70. Underneath was a basement containing a large schoolroom, minister’s vestry, boiler house and offices. The opening service took place at 3pm on Wednesday November 29th 1877, after which 350 persons took tea in the schoolroom. Further services were held on December 3rd and 13th. The cost was given as £1,400 of which £400 was one of the first grants from the Home Missions Chapel Extension Fund.
Mr William Butler of Bristol, who took a great interest in the project, and also contributed financially was quoted as saying “The entire cost is £1,520 and it is a gem of a place. the inside of the chapel is neatness itself, very substantial, well warmed with hot water, and well ventilated. Already they have a Sunday School numbering seventy scholars, and an evening congregation averaging 120 persons.”
What no-one seemed to think important at the time was that the building was designed, along with many other important buildings in the town, by Hans Fowler Price (1835-1912).
The chapel was still in use on 1940, seating 450, but I have no knowledge of its post-war history, except that it is still standing as it features in a walking tour of Hans Fowler Price’s works. Any further information would be welcomed.
There is a photograph by Keith Guyler on the British Methodist Buildings website of this church in 1994, when it was in use as an office.
Sources:
The United Methodist Free Churches Magazine, vol. XX, 1877 pp47-48 and 249-250
In the footsteps of Hans Fowler Price: a walk through Victorian Weston-super-Mare https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk › sites › default › files › 2020-07 › Hans Price walks leaflet.pdf
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