Building record 893/3 - Former Norton Wesleyan Methodist Chapel and attached wheelwright's workshop

A small Wesleyan Methodist chapel was established in Norton in 1817-8. The building appears to have been converted from an earlier cottage. Attached to the north is a former wheelwright's workshop, probably built in the mid-19th century.

{1} Wesleyan Chapel. Rubble and slate, opened in 1817, possibly the conversion of an earlier cottage; further altered in the mid-19th century.

{2} Wesleyan Methodism was introduced to area in around 1788 with the formation of the Wesleyan Methodist Society in Norton itself, the Daventry Society was established soon after in 1797. The Chapel in Norton, although recorded as being erected in 1818 is likely to have been in a re-used cottage and it is possible that this cottage was the site of the original society meeting house established in 1788. Deeds held by the Luck Family, but not viewed, indicate the building housing the Chapel dates to the 18th century- it is almost certain, therefore, that the Chapel was not erected from scratch in 1818, but made use of an existing building. In 1977 Norton Chapel was closed and placed up for sale and bought by Mr Luck, the father of the present owner.

Kelly’s Post Office Directory of Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire & Northamptonshire published in 1847 lists a Thomas Collier, carpenter and wheelwright, it is likely that Thomas occupied the cottage attached to the Saw Yard. The collier family were associated with this plot until the mid-20th century.

The chapel building is constructed of coursed limestone rubble with a Welsh slate roof with saw-tooth brick eaves. Internally the chapel is very plain, with pitch pine panelling and pulpit (now removed). The pews are missing, there is quarry tiled central aisle with timber floors to the left and right. The workshop is of brick with a Welsh slate roof. It has a large central coach door on the west facing principal elevation as well as two large flanking windows, their size allowing maximum use of west facing elevation and light. At the far southern end of the principal elevation, adjacent to the Chapel is a tall narrow opening for the tyre oven. The oven was designed to hold tyres horizontally for heating before fitting to wheels and dousing from water lifted from the nearby well. The oven has an internal flue and central chimney stack, all brick-built. Abutting the northernmost gable of the workshop is a small brick-built garage or cart shed. There is a straight joint between it and the workshop indicating a later construction date, probably late 19th or early 20th century.

Planning permission was granted for the conversion of the buildings to residential use.

<1> The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1986, Nonconformist Chapels and Meeting-Houses: Northamptonshire & Oxfordshire, p.145 (Report). SNN2902.

<2> Richards, G., 2016, An Archaeological Standing Building Survey of No. 55 Daventry Road, Norton, Northamptonshire, 2016 (Report). SNN110581.

<3> Crank, N. (Editor), 2017, South Midlands Archaeology (47), p. 34 (Journal). SNN111362.

Record last edited

Feb 5 2025 6:08PM