Wellington is a market town in Somerset, south-west of Taunton.

Wesleyan Methodists

John Wesley preached in Wellington in September 1775 and opened the Methodist preaching house there in September 1785. This rented cottage in Bowerman's Lane was purchased in 1813, extended in 1826, and replaced by a purpose-built chapel in Mantle Street in 1850-51. This was extended in turn in 1875.

Bible Christians

The Bible Christians were meeting in Wellington by the 1840s. Their Bethel chapel, largely funded by the ex-Wesleyan Richard Thorne, was opened on 1 January 1849. A new chapel was opened in 1899, with a Sunday School added a year later.

During the 1960s discussions took place about amalgamating the societies and it was decided to sell the Mantle Street chapel and upgrade the chapel in Waterloo Road. This scheme came to fruition in April 1971.

Entry written by: DHR
Category: Place
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