Wesleyan Methodists

Although the Wesleyans did not open a chapel until 1865 there had been an earlier Methodist presence in the area. In 1814 the Wesleyans rented rooms in Thorpes Building, George Street, but the Society was short lived. The Wesleyans in Hadleigh, Leigh, Rochford and Reyleigh appeared on the Maldon Circuit plan as a preaching places by 1849. When the Leigh Circuit was formed out of the Maldon Circuit in 1854 Hadleigh, Leigh, Rochford and Benfleet were included. At the Leigh Circuit Quarterly Meeting on 8 January 1863 it was 'considered desirable that a new chapel should be erected at Hadleigh'. After a few failed attempts to secure land for a chapel the minister, Rev. William H. Major (1840-1913) and Mr Henry Cater were given the responsibility of finding land on which to build a chapel. On 25 March 1865 they reported to the meeting that a freehold piece of land had been purchased. The Hadleigh trustees were appointed on 29 July 1865 and the chapel was built in Chapel Street in the same year and was in use until 1929. In 1929 land was bought on the corner of Chapel Lane and London Road. The plans for a new chapel to seat 300 people were approved. The stone laying ceremony was held in June 1929 and the chapel was opened on 4 December 1929 by Miss Nancy Cotgrove and Mrs Leonard Ramus. The guest preacher was Rev. Dr F. Luke Wiseman. On land purchased from the Salvation Army a Youth Hall was opened on 10 March 1962.

Primitive Methodists

In 1835 the Primitive Methodists started to mission Hadleigh. In 1836 the Rev. Robert Key, the East Anglia Evangelist, was stationed in Hadleigh. In the same year the Society rented rooms in Thorpes Building, George Street. In 1848 they bought adjacent land and built a chapel the following year. This was replaced in 1875 with a larger chapel on the same site. In 1975 the centenary of this building was celebrated, but four years later the chapel closed.

Entry written by: DHR
Category: Place
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