Nonconformist Chapels in

Summary

A survey of nonconformist chapels in the North Kesteven District of was carried out from January to March 2009 to expand the survey of nonconformist chapels in Lincolnshire following previous surveys of Lincoln Borough, District and the Boston Borough.

There were found to be 91 surviving current and former nonconformist places of worship in North Kesteven. Sixty six of these are indicated on, and were identified from, the 1905 OS County Series 1:2500 maps, 1 from a 1932 OS County Series Map and the remainder were identified from other documentary sources and from observation in the field.

A further 28 former nonconformist chapels were identified from the County Series maps but found, on site visit, to no longer survive.

The former existence of other places of nonconformist worship in the District was identified from other documentary sources. Some of these buildings were superceded by later structures on the same, or on different, sites. Some sources refer to former chapels, or private houses where nonconformist meetings were held, but whose sites are now lost and others refer only to the issuing of nonconformist licenses.

Almost all of the surviving buildings were found within settlements and, as found in the other areas surveyed, the majority of them were constructed in the middle and latter part of the nineteenth century. Most of the chapels constructed before the late nineteenth century are, with a few exceptions, plain, modest structures. The degree of elaboration and decoration increases in the late nineteenth century. The buildings from the late 1860s and 70s predominantly have round-headed openings but by the end of the nineteenth century and in the early twentieth century the predominant style is pointed. Some groups of buildings with markedly similar features were found in this District suggesting the use of standardised designs.

There were however, some notable early buildings in North Kesteven such as the Friends Meeting House in Brant Broughton (survey number 63028) dating from 1701, which survives intact and retains its internal fittings, and the Meeting House of 1776 associated with the Countess of Huntingdon Connexion in which, though it has been divided and converted to residential use, retains some internal features and appears to be previously unrecorded (survey number 65623). The Wesleyan chapel in North Scarle which opened in 1800 is the earliest surviving Methodist building in the District (survey number 65617).

Wesleyan chapels were the most numerous, comprising 55 percent of the total number of chapels, with Primitive Methodist chapels 20 percent. A greater proportion of Wesleyan chapels that were in existence in 1905 survive to the present day than those of other denominations whilst chapels belonging to the various Methodist Reform groups were the most likely to have disappeared.

Twenty-nine percent of the surviving buildings are still in use as a place of worship and forty-nine percent have been converted to residential use. As found in the areas already surveyed, conversion to alternative use is the most frequent and important cause of loss of original features and historic fabric.

Introduction

This survey of North Kesteven was carried out as part of a continuing evaluation and recording of the state of preservation of nonconformist places of worship in Lincolnshire. They are monuments of considerable importance for the understanding of the social and religious history of the District and they form an integral part of the historic environment of its settlements, landscape and communities.

North Kesteven District lies to the south of Lincoln and includes the small market town of Sleaford. Its economy is primarily agricultural but it is geographically diverse. It is divided east to west by the limestone escarpment known as the Lincoln Cliff and most of the associated village settlements are sited on, or below, the spring line. The easternmost part of the district occupies the broad flat valley of the and the edges of the fenland, and the westernmost edge lies in the claylands of the valley of the Upper Witham. The central part of the district is characterised by an area of upland, known as the Lincoln Heath, where the agriculture is based on scattered farms. The influence of the particular geographical circumstances and the social structure of the associated communities could be expected to have an impact upon the provision and nature of nonconformist places of worship. The heathland was dominated by the major landlords and included some tightly controlled estate villages. In contrast fenland areas were usually more loosely controlled and were characterised by large and scattered communities of freeholders from Medieval times, though some parishes extended over areas of both type.

The historical background to the development of nonconformism in the area encompasses a period of economic and social change due to changes in agricultural practice. This could be expected to have a significant impact on the development of dissenting religion and in particular on the building of chapels which was dependent on the availability of land and financial resources.

Methodology

As in the previous surveys a desk-based assessment was followed by a rapid field survey of the exterior of surviving chapels. The desk based assessment used the same published documentary sources and maps used in the previous surveys with the addition of some sources specific to North Kesteven District. The recording process involved a rapid survey of extant buildings during which digital images were taken of the exterior of surviving buildings for the compilation of a photographic archive. A record of surviving historic fabric and features, present use, dating evidence and state of preservation for each building was made using the survey form in the field and the presence of associated buildings or burial grounds was recorded.

The data were subsequently transferred to the Historic Buildings Sites and Monuments Record. Clear references to nonconformist places of worship which no longer survive were also added to the Historic Buildings Sites and Monuments Record along with their sites where these could be established. References to demolished buildings which were replaced by new chapels on the same site were included in the records of the later building.

This report largely follows the format of the earlier reports of West Lindsey and The Boston Borough to facilitate subsequent comparison of the evidence from these areas and any future areas surveyed.

Denomination

Dissenter Groups

At the time of the Declaration of Indulgence in 1672 there were 13 places where nonconformist churches or ministers were licensed in North Kesteven. Five were Presbyterian: Bloxholm, the linked sites of Blankney and Leasingham, and two at Swinderby. Leasingham had 1 of only 3 Independent Congregationalist licenses for the whole of Lincolnshire and 7 Baptist licenses existed: one for Bassingham linked with one for Carlton-le-Moorland, a further two for Carlton-le-Moorland, one for South Hykeham and two for Brant Broughton and Stragglethorpe (Ambler 2000, Fig 2).

A congregation of Dissenters also existed prior to 1692 in Sleaford where they met in a chapel which stood in the garden of a house in Southgate. It ceased to be used as a chapel when the minister died in 1732 and was demolished in 1773 (Fawcett 1902, p.4).

Compared with other counties Lincolnshire, in the early eighteenth century, had a high number of Baptist groups but the lowest proportion of Presbyterians, and a lower than average number of Quakers, as a proportion of the population (Ambler 2000 p.89).

At that time dissenting meetings clustered in certain areas. In the south of the county they tended to be associated with fen-edge villages and in villages to the south west of Lincoln in the area where the dissenting groups were found in the seventeenth century. Quaker groups existed in Welbourn and Waddington in addition to the group already established in Brant Broughton. A Presbyterian presence existed in Coleby and at Burton Pedwardine. Baptist groups were found at Metheringham, Timberland and Sleaford, in addition to those continuing in Brant Broughton, Carlton-le- Moorland and South Hykeham, and undefined groups existed in Leasingham and Billinghay parishes. However at the beginning of the eighteenth century most Lincolnshire dissenting congregations still met in temporary premises (Ambler 2000, p.89).

By the time of the Census of Religious Returns of 1851 dissenting communities in Lincolnshire continued to be found in the same areas as in the eighteenth century though the types of the dissenting churches had often changed. Presbyterian groups had almost disappeared though were sometimes replaced by Unitarians and there were only 9 Quaker Meeting Houses. However, in Kesteven, Baptist groups had strengthened in some villages in the east of Kesteven and the fens and there was a large increase in Independent groups (Ambler 2000, p.86). At the time of the 1851 Census, in North Kesteven, undefined Baptist groups were found in Waddington and Helpringham and Particular Baptists were found in Billinghay, Carlton-le-Moorland and Heckington. Calvinist chapels were recorded at Sleaford and in the parish of Evedon and Ewerby, Quaker Meeting Houses were recorded at Waddington and Brant Broughton, and Congregational or Independent chapels at Helpringham and Sleaford.

Only a small number of dissenting buildings appear to survive though these groups often met in temporary premises and sometimes documentary evidence reveals that declining membership led to the abandonment of chapels such as the Baptist chapel which existed in Waddington, but which had become “very dilapidated” and was sold in the late nineteenth century with the proceeds being used to expand the Lincoln Mint Street premises (Ambler 2000, p.124).

There is only one surviving Friends Meeting House in the district, at Brant Broughton. It dates from around 1700, though the associated burial ground was used from 1673. Four Baptist chapels survive and include the chapel at Billinghay (the only Baptist chapel in the district still in use as a place of worship - survey number 62356), the former chapel at Carlton-le-Moorland of l788 (survey number 63005) and two former Baptist chapels in Sleaford, the Eastgate chapel of 1881 (survey number 65330) and the Boston Road chapel of 1808 or 1811 (survey number 65337). An Independent chapel of 1846 at Helpringham survives (survey number 64556) and a Congregational chapel of 1867 survives in Sleaford (survey number 65326), as does its predecessor, a Meeting House which was built in 1776 in Hen Lane in Sleaford (now Jermyn Street). This Meeting House was supplied by ministers connected with Lady Huntingdon's Connexion and later joined the Independent Body. It succeeded an earlier place of worship sited in a garden in Southgate which was said to be used by “Dissenters”. The Hen Lane Meeting House is described in the Census as a Zion Independent or Congregational Dissenters Chapel erected before 1800 (Ambler 1979 p.60 (307)). It continued in use with various enlargements until, in 1867, it was superceded by the Congregational chapel built on Southgate (Fawcett 1902 p.8-10; Trollope 1872 p.168). It is now divided into two houses but some internal features survive (survey number 65623).

Only Billinghay Baptist Church, Sleaford Congregational (United Reform) Church and Brant Broughton Quaker Meeting House are still in use as places of worship.

Methodist Groups

The majority of the surviving chapels in the North Kesteven district belonged to Methodist groups. Methodist circuits were established at a later date in the southern part of the county than in the northern part where the earliest circuits were formed during the 18th century. However a third of Lincolnshire parishes had Methodists by the end of the 18th century even if they did not have societies and Methodists were recorded at that time in North Kesteven parishes such as Bassingham in the upper Witham Valley and in villages on the cliff edge such as Navenby, Welbourn and Waddington. Some of the fen parishes to the east of Sleaford had larger numbers of Methodists. At Heckington, there were 250 Methodists and at South Kyme there were 100 at the end of the eighteenth century, though in Helpringham only one was recorded. However Methodism was less well established in Kesteven than in similar parishes in the north of the county due to differences in social structure which was looser in the north, tighter official control being exercised over parishes in the south (Ambler 2000, pp.136-137). Nonetheless the surviving Wesleyan chapel at North Scarle built in 1799-1800 demonstrates that chapel building had begun at this time in the District.

The first official Primitive Methodist circuits were also found in the north of the county but in North Kesteven an early Primitive Methodist presence began to be established around 1820 and by 1821 regular Sunday services were held in Branston and Branston Moor, Washingborough, Heighington, Wellingore, Scredington, Heckington, Ruskington, Timberland, Walcott, Rowston, Norton Disney, Bassingham, Wilsford, Swarby, Sleaford, Rauceby, Beckingham and Leadenham. However, only Wellingore had a purpose built chapel at this time and these groups often met in private houses as is made explicit at Timberland (Ambler 1989, p43). The number of Primitive Methodist circuits grew throughout the 19th century and the years of the 1850s saw a period of considerable growth through to a peak in the latter part of the century. By middle of the nineteenth century Primitive Methodism was particularly associated with freeholding communities where land was available and individual freedom allowed for religious dissent.

In Lincolnshire Methodism in general grew until the 1860s and though actual numbers of Methodists continued to grow until the 1880s by that time they formed a lower percentage of the population and by 1900 formed the same percentage of the population as in the 1840s. Wesleyan Methodism was affected by the growth of the Reform movement in the 1850’s and a Wesleyan Reform Union circuit was based on the town of Sleaford from that time, though the Reform movement did not have a large impact in Lincolnshire (Ambler 2000, pp.133-134)

As with the other areas of Lincolnshire already surveyed, the majority of surviving chapels in North Kesteven are Wesleyan of which there are 50 examples making up 55% of the total number of surviving chapels. Primitive Methodist chapels form 20% of the total, with 18 examples, and Wesleyan Reform chapels form 10% of the total, though together the 9 surviving Wesleyan Reform chapels plus five belonging to other Reformer Groups make up 15% of the total number of surviving chapels.

However, some of these buildings include surviving early buildings which were replaced by surviving later chapels in the same town or village (there are14 such examples; 8 are Wesleyan; 3 Primitive; 2 Reform and 1 Congregational/Independent). Also two chapels are known to have changed denomination; a Primitive Methodist chapel in Wellingore was built in 1837 and sold to Wesleyan Methodists about 1842 (though it was later replaced by a new chapel in 1887 which survives - survey number 63298) and the Wesleyan Reform chapel on Westbanks in Sleaford was taken over by the Salvation Army before 1896 (survey number 65339).

The proportion of Wesleyan chapels to Primitive chapels was found to be very similar in North Kesteven and Boston where more than half of chapels were Wesleyan and around a fifth were Primitive.

Around half of the surviving Primitive Methodist chapels in North Kesteven were built in the second half of the nineteenth century, which was similar to the picture seen in West Lindsey, and around half were built in the 1830s and 40s.

Denomination Wesleyan Methodist 50 (55%) Primitive Methodist 18 (20%) Wesleyan Reform Methodist 9 (10%) United Methodist Free Church 4 (4%) Other Reform Methodist 1 (1%) Unknown Methodist 1 (1%) Congregational 1 (1%) Independent 1 (1%) Countess of Huntingdon Connexion 1 (1%) Baptist 4 (4%) Society of Friends 1 (1%) Salvation Army 2 (2%) General Nonconformist 1 (1%)

Table 1: Number of surviving chapels by denomination. Note that some appear more than once due to change of denomination

The distribution of Primitive chapels shows that they were predominantly in the east of the district, corresponding to the upland heath and fen areas (see Fig 1). Only two chapels were identified as having existed at the time of the 1905 OS maps in the upper Witham Valley, south and west of Lincoln, and only one of these, the possible former chapel at Bassingham, survives, though it was used by the Salvation Army in the late 19th Century and at the time of the OS Map is marked as a mission room (survey number 65621). Most of the surviving former Primitive chapels cluster in the east and south of the district corresponding to the fenland parishes, reflecting the fact that Primitive Methodism tended to flourish in more marginal areas where landlord control was less secure. The availability of land as a result of divided landownership provided the circumstances for the building of the small Primitive Methodist chapel at Little Hale in 1837 (survey number 64495) for example (Ambler 2000, p.156).

The distribution of surviving Wesleyan chapels is fairly evenly spread over the district. In contrast to the lack of Primitive chapels, almost all of the parishes in the upper Witham Valley and on the cliff edge have extant Wesleyan chapels or other evidence for the presence of Wesleyan chapels or groups at some time. However some of the fenland parishes and particularly those parishes in the south of the district lack not only surviving chapels but also often any other documentary evidence for a Wesleyan presence. Indeed there are a group of parishes to the south of Sleaford which have little evidence for any Methodist presence. In all, only 15 parishes, out of the total of 71 parishes in North Kesteven, have no evidence of a Methodist presence and these predominantly lie in the south of the district though three of these have documentary evidence for other early dissenting communities. This was almost certainly due to particular local conditions which were not conducive to the development of dissent, particularly a high degree of landlord control and the presence of closed villages (see Fig1).

Wesleyan Reform chapels are found mainly in towns and villages which also have a Wesleyan presence (though this was not the case in Washingborough, and Rowston). They are concentrated in the heathland parishes to the north east of Sleaford whilst there are few examples in the fen edge parishes where Primitive chapels tend to be found. Apart from a former United Methodist chapel at East Heckington (which no longer survives) the chapels belonging to other Reformer groups, such as Free United Methodists, are all found in the parishes to the south and east of Lincoln. Apart from the Wesleyan Reform chapel at Brant Broughton, the chapels of Reformers in the parishes of the upper Witham Valley belonged to the other Reformer groups. This is an area with few Primitive chapels and where there was a second Methodist group in addition to the Wesleyans, it was almost always a Reformer group in this part of the district. This is in contrast to the villages of the fens where the villages tend to have a Wesleyan Chapel and where a second chapel is found, it is a Primitive chapel. This can probably be attributed to a greater prosperity, less marginal land and less scattered population in the parishes of the upper Witham Valley.

Levels of survival

Only 4 (4%) of the extant chapels lie outside a focus of settlement in North Kesteven: they are of a variety of denomination (2 Wesleyan Methodist, 1 Wesleyan Reform and 1 Primitive Methodist). This was a much lower percentage than was found in West Lindsey or Boston Borough.

Wesleyan chapels are the most likely to have survived. Of the buildings identified as having survived until 1905, a greater proportion of Wesleyan Chapels (83%) still survive as opposed to 75% of Primitive chapels. However, only 60 % of Wesleyan Reform chapels survive and only 45% of those of the other Reform groups.

Of all the buildings which survive 40 % have retained their external historic fabric intact which means that a greater proportion of chapels have undergone some degree of alteration. This is the same level as was found in West Lindsey but a much higher level than was found in the Boston Borough. A third of Primitive Methodist chapels and Wesleyan Reform chapels in North Kesteven have survived intact whereas 42% of Wesleyan Chapels have done so. The extent to which a chapel has been altered is often due to its current use and continuing as a place of worship tends to result in the lowest level of alteration, though many of these examples have had some or all of their window frames replaced. This to a large extent accounts for the greater level of survival of Wesleyan chapels, as 26% of former Wesleyan chapels have continued in use as places of worship whereas only 17% of Primitive chapels are still used as chapels. However, more than half of surviving Wesleyan Reform chapels continue to be used as places of worship though the chapel on Westbank in Sleaford is now used by the Salvation Army. Almost half of the surviving chapels have a major part of the historic fabric surviving and only 8% and 2% respectively have minor or minimal levels of surviving fabric.

It has been emphasised before that form and style of windows are an integral part of the character of historic buildings and they are one of the features most likely to be altered as a result of deterioration or change of use. In North Kesteven 34% of the buildings retain their windows intact but 19% have minimal remains of the original fenestration or have had their windows entirely removed. This represents a slightly higher level of survival than in West Lindsey.

Roof coverings are frequently altered particularly when conversion to residential use takes place and 19% of buildings in North Kesteven have roof coverings of modern tiles.

Denomination Retains Major Minor Minimal Not all part of part of survival known historic historic historic of historic fabric fabric fabric fabric Wesleyan Methodist 21 22 6 1 Primitive Methodist 6 9 1 1 Wesleyan Reform 3 4 1 Methodist United Methodist Free 1 2 1 Church Other Reform Methodist 1 Unknown Methodist 1 Congregational 1 Independent 1 Countess of Huntingdon 1 Connexion Baptist 2 2 Religious Society of 1 Friends Salvation Army 1 General Nonconformist 1

Table 2: Degree of survival of historic fabric by denomination

Present Use

Many chapels in North Kesteven have been converted to a variety of new functions though almost a third of them are still used as nonconformist chapels. This was the same percentage of buildings remaining in religious use as was found in West Lindsey and is a slightly higher percentage than in the Boston Borough. However, almost half of former chapels in North Kesteven have now been converted to residential use which is substantially higher proportion than was found in the Boston Borough and a little higher than in West Lindsey.

Present Use Residential 45 (49%) Chapel 26 (29%) Business 6 (7%) Premises Disused 3 (3%) Church Hall 3 (3%) Store 2 (2%) Shop 1 (1%) Workshop 1 (1%) Arts Centre 1 (1%) Estate offices 1 (1%) Village Hall 2 (2%)

Table 3:. Current use of extant chapels

Age of Building

The majority of surviving buildings in North Kesteven District were built in the mid and late nineteenth century, and another 16% were built in the early twentieth century. However, some of these buildings replace earlier chapels when they became inadequate for growing congregations.

Period of surviving buildings No. of Buildings Early Eighteenth Century 1 (1%) Late Eighteenth Century 2 (2%) Early Nineteenth Century 7 (8%) Mid Nineteenth Century 32 (35%) Late Nineteenth Century 29 (32%) Early Twentieth Century 15 (16%) Unclear 5 (5%)

Table 4: Date of surviving chapels

The three surviving eighteenth-century buildings were all used by Dissenter groups. The Friend’s Meeting House in Brant Broughton (survey number 63028) is the only surviving building belonging to the early eighteenth century and is still in use as a regular place of worship. The former Baptist chapels at Carlton-le-Moorland and the former Independent chapel in Sleaford are the only surviving buildings from the late eighteenth century (survey numbers 63005 and 65623).

Seven buildings survive from the early nineteenth century. One of these is the Baptist chapel behind Boston Road, built in 1808 or 1811 (survey number 65337), but the other 6 buildings are former Wesleyan chapels. The earliest Wesleyan building is that at North Scarle which may have been built in the 1790’s but was registered in 1800 (survey number 65617). This is the earliest surviving Methodist place of worship in the district and a Wesleyan Society was established in the village by 1759, pre-dating John Wesley’s visit in that year (Ambler 2000, p.130). These surviving early buildings are found in the town of Sleaford and in parishes to the north east and north west of the town (see Fig. 2). The early chapels or Meeting Houses are modest brick vernacular buildings, though the Friend’s Meeting House in Brant Broughton was converted from a timber barn and is partly encased in stone (see Fig.3).

Mid to late nineteenth-century buildings are found throughout the district. Fairly similar numbers of chapels were built by Wesleyans, Primitives and Reformer groups in the mid nineteenth century (13, 9 and 9 respectively) but in the latter part of the century almost three times as many Wesleyan chapels than Primitive chapels were built and only 2 chapels were built at that time by Reformer groups. Almost all of the chapels belonging to the various Reform groups were built in the mid nineteenth century, the period of the development of these groups.

Many of the early twentieth century buildings are found in the Upper Witham Valley or in the adjacent parishes along the escarpment, or cliff edge, to the east. The chapels built in the early twentieth century are almost all Wesleyan chapels with only one Primitive chapel built in 1912 at Billinghay (survey number 65620), which replaced an earlier surviving chapel of 1850 in the village (survey number 62363), and one Wesleyan Reform chapel, built at Dorrington in 1930 to replace a mid nineteenth century chapel there, probably built in 1859 (survey numbers 63877 and 65618). Many of these chapels replace earlier buildings, suggesting that at this time these communities had growing congregations and the social and financial resources to build new places of worship

Style and Decoration

Many factors can be expected to affect the design and style of chapels and include the date of construction, the denomination, the availability of financial resources and the nature of the community. As a consequence, chapel architecture ranges from the unpretentious chapels providing for isolated fenland communities to large elaborate architect designed examples found in the larger villages and towns. It has already been suggested that the inhabitants of open villages, often found in the fen areas, had more freedom to develop nonconformist and this was also likely to be true as far as the development of chapel design was concerned. Chapels in these areas however were often fairly modest as financial resources were limited there. In contrast in closed villages where Methodism did manage to establish itself, such as at Ewerby, we find a chapel of unusual design with a bell turret in a style “adapted to an estate village” (Ambler 2000, p.160, survey number 64237, see Fig4)

The surviving buildings which date from the eighteenth century and early nineteenth century are plain, modest, vernacular buildings which, except for the Quaker Meeting House in Brant Broughton, which is partly encased in stone, are constructed of red brick. Most of them are rectangular with broad fronts and hipped roofs with pantile roof coverings, where the original roof coverings survive, such as the late eighteenth century Independent chapel in Sleaford (survey number 65623, see Fig.5) and the early nineteenth century Wesleyan chapels at Timberland and Potterhanworth (survey numbers 65614 and 61759 see Fig. 6). The hipped former Wesleyan chapels at Walcott near Billinghay and at Westgate in Sleaford, in addition to the early nineteenth century Baptist chapel in Sleaford, have modern tiles (survey numbers 62332, 65622 and 65337 See Figs 7, 8 and 9). The two gabled buildings, the Baptist chapel at Carlton-le-Moorland and the Wesleyan chapel in North Scarle have pantile coverings (survey numbers 63005 and 65617, see Figs 10 and 11). No buildings from this period have slate coverings. These buildings generally have little decoration. The late eighteenth century Baptist chapel at Carlton-le-Moorland has a dentil brick eaves course and raised gables, though the building has been extended at some point and therefore possibly remodelled, and the earliest Wesleyan chapel at Walcott also has a dentil brick eaves course. Otherwise window and door details such as fan lights (as at North Scarle) or margin lights (at Sleaford Baptist chapel) appear to be the most common form of elaboration at this time.

Date M19 L19 E20 Number of Chapels with Stringcourses 6 15 12 % of total of that date (18%) (50%) (80%)

Table 5: Number of chapels with string-courses by period

The mid nineteenth century buildings are also almost all fairly plain, modest, unembellished structures, some of them also vernacular in style, though a few buildings from the mid nineteenth century have some degree of decoration. At this time 6 buildings or 18% have string-courses.

Most of the more elaborate chapels from this period have classical features such as pedimented gables and other classical motifs in combination with round-arched openings. They are predominantly Wesleyan chapels, though the former Primitive chapel in Mill Lane in Martin had a pedimented raised gable added when the earlier building of 1837 was raised and remodelled in 1858 (survey number 62294, see Fig. 12). In addition the Free Methodist church at Harmston (1857) has a raised gable with stone copings and kneelers as does the Primitive Methodist chapel in Westgate in Sleaford of 1841, though these buildings are otherwise relatively modest (survey numbers 61889 and 65338, see Figs. 13 and 14).

The more elaborate Wesleyan chapels include the chapel at Bassingham built in 1839, Heighington chapel of 1848-9 and the former Wesleyan chapel in Metheringham dating to 1840 which has the remains of a broad classical doorway with chamfered ashlar jambs and classical moulded imposts with dentil ornament (survey numbers 62878, 61431 and 61998, see Figs. 15, 16 and 17). However, the most elaborate chapel from the mid nineteenth century is the Wesleyan chapel in Martin built in 1860 which has many features comparable to other chapels dating slightly later to the 1860s and 70s. It has a yellow gault brick gabled front with three stepped round-arched bays and windows, classical pilasters with moulded stone imposts and a raised gable with a broad verge resting on brackets with a dentil corbel table in the eaves cornice. Its probable former Sunday School on the opposite side of road has classical terminal pilasters and eaves cornices with small brackets (survey number 62284, see Figs 18 and 19).

The surviving chapels dating from the late nineteenth century have increasing amounts of decoration and elaboration. The use of raised gables became increasingly common with time and by the late nineteenth century more than half of the buildings had raised gables and almost all by the early twentieth century. As illustrated above the use of decorative string-courses also became more popular with time. There are no examples which date to before the mid nineteenth century at which time 18% of chapels had string-courses. In the late nineteenth century 50% of chapels had stringcourses and by the early twentieth century this figure had risen to 80%.

Those chapels dating to the late 1860s and 1870s are more likely to have round- headed windows and classical features than those from the 1880s and 1890s by which time the predominant style was Gothic with pointed openings. A group of three Wesleyan chapels with round-headed openings are very similar in style. They include the chapel in Victoria Street in Billinghay, built in 1869, the chapel at Osbournby built in 1871 and the Wesleyan chapel built in 1878 in Timberland to replace the earlier chapel there (survey numbers 62362, 64706 and 62314). These chapels have identical windows which can be described as having Venetian tracery of two round- headed lights and a roundel in the spandrel (see Figs 20, 21, and 22). The earliest chapel at Osbournby is constructed of gault brick but the other two chapels are constructed of red brick with polychrome dressings of yellow and blue brick. All three chapels are not close geographically and are found in different contexts; those at Billinghay and Timberland lie in open villages in fen-edge parishes but the chapel at Osbournby lies in the heathland area where a greater degree of landlord control is generally found, suggesting the use of standardised designs which transcended community links.

As mentioned over half of the buildings of this period have raised gables usually with stone copings and often with stone kneelers and some buildings are of classical style with pedimented frontages with pilasters such as the Primitive Methodist chapels at Timberland and Heckington Fen and the Wesleyan chapel at Harmston (survey numbers 62319, 62989 and 61888, see Figs 23, 24 and 25). The Wesleyan chapels at Martin and Billinghay have broad gable verges on brackets.

However as the nineteenth century progressed the predominant style became Gothic with pointed windows and increasing degrees of elaboration. However, some chapel at this time remain fairly small, simple, broad-fronted buildings with simple pointed windows such as those at Scredington and Digby (survey numbers 64854 and 63848, see Figs. 26 and 27). Stepped lancet windows are found at , Heckington Mortuary chapel and Branston (survey numbers 61187, 63824 and 65612) and increasing degrees of ornament are found at Washingborough, at Anwick and at Wellingore which has many stylistic similarities to a group of early twentieth-century chapels in the district (survey numbers 61319, 62546 and 63298, see Figs 28, 29 and 30). At Potterhanworth the Wesleyan chapel of 1888 has a large four-light window with Gothic tracery (survey number 61761, see Fig. 31).

Polychrome brickwork is found in 5 (17%) of the late nineteenth-century buildings including those chapels already discussed at Osbournby, Timberland, Heckington Fen and Harmston and at Swinderby (survey number 62458, see Figs. 21, 22, 24 25 and 32).

As already mentioned half of chapels at this time had stringcourses which are mostly emphasised by bands of contrasting brick. At North Hykeham this is blue brick but often it is yellow gault brick as at Ruskington (survey number 64194), Potterhanworth and Heckington Mortuary chapel (see Figs 33, 31 and 34). The use of gault brick as part of the main fabric is found at Walcott (survey number 62330, see Fig 35) and at Scredington but it is often used as a contrasting dressing material in stringcourses and window dressings as at Heckington Mortuary chapel, Potterhanworth and Ruskington. The Primitive Methodist chapel at Martin has the reverse of this pattern with a gault brick frontage with red brick dressings including a stepped pattern in the gable (survey number 62285, see Fig. 36).

The use of ashlar dressings is found in 7 buildings including those at Wilsford, Ewerby and South Kyme, due to the ready availability of local Jurassic limestone (survey numbers 64394, 64237 and 62536, see Figs 37, 4 and 38).

The enhancement of decoration at this time is exemplified by increasing use of dogtooth and dentil brickwork and in this district by the frequent use of nail-head ornament in cornices as found at Heckington Mortuary chapel, the Wesleyan chapel at Timberland, the Wesleyan and the Primitive chapels at Martin, and the Wesleyan chapels at Walcott and Anwick. The use of coloured leaded glass in chapel windows is a particular feature of the buildings in this district in both the late nineteenth and early twentieth-century chapels. Some buildings have particularly unusual features including the clock tower at Martin and the polygonal plan of the chapel at Potterhanworth.

The 15 buildings dating from the early twentieth century are almost all Gothic in style and lancet windows are common. They are mostly large architect designed buildings and most of them date to the first decade of the century. Apart from the chapel in Metheringham (survey number 61985, see Fig. 39), which is built of rock-faced stone, they are built of red brick with slate roofs and 80% have raised gables with stone copings and kneelers. Ashlar dressings are common at this time either as the only dressing material as at Navenby, Heckington, Metheringham, Billinghay and Great Hale (survey numbers 65610, 63609, 61985, 65620 and 64493, see Figs 40, 41, 39, 42 and 43), or in combination with red brick, or more commonly gault brick, as at Thorpe-on-the-Hill, Eagle, North Scarle, Waddington and Coleby (survey numbers 62406, 61052, 61060, 61252 and 61932, see Figs 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48).

The use of lancet windows and Gothic tracery are common at this time and openings of various shapes are found in the gables. The chapels at Waddington and Eagle have four-light windows with geometric tracery and the chapel at Coleby has three stepped lancet windows under one arch with blind quatrefoil tracery at the base. The chapels at Thorpe-on-the-Hill and Metheringham have cusped tracery and Perpendicular tracery is found at Heckington and Navenby. Leaded coloured glass appears frequently, sometimes incorporatimg Art Nouveau motifs.

The use of a stepped pattern in the gable in contrasting gault brick is a particular feature in a group of three buildings. One is the late nineteenth-century chapel at Wellingore built in 1887 and the other two at Skellingthorpe and North Scarle were built around 1900 and are particularly comparable (survey numbers 63298, 61144 and 61060, see Figs 30, 49 and 46). The latter two both lie to the west of Lincoln though are separated by some distance from the chapel in Wellingore. In the same area to the west of Lincoln many of the chapel Sunday Schools are almost identical to each other which suggests some use of standardised designs at this time, though some chapels have individual designs such as the chapel at Thorpe on the Hill with its attached tower.

Construction and Materials

Seventy one percent of surviving chapels are constructed of red brick, 11% of stone and 5% of Gault brick and 5 % of both gault brick and red brick. 2 buildings are constructed of both red brick and stone and some others are rendered. A higher percentage of buildings are constructed of stone here than in the Boston Borough or West Lindsey probably due to the easy availability of good building stone in the parishes close to the Jurassic limestone belt.

Roof shape

Most of the surviving chapels (78%) have gabled roofs and 20% have hipped roofs which are similar percentages to those found in West Lindsey and the Boston Borough. All of the buildings with hipped roofs were built before the late nineteenth century. The majority belong to the mid nineteenth century with 5 belonging to the early nineteenth century and 1 to the late eighteenth century. All of the late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century buildings have gabled roofs.

More than half of the buildings have roof coverings of welsh slate, 19% have roof coverings of pantiles, and the same percentage have roof coverings of modern tiles, often concrete.

Windows and Doors

Slightly less than half of the extant buildings retain their original doors, though this a higher percentage than was found in the Boston Borough, and in West Lindsey where less than a third of original doors survived. More than a half of those buildings which have continued in use as chapels in North Kesteven have retained their original doors in contrast to less than a third of those which have been converted to residential use emphasising that change of use can contribute to the loss of original features.

As emphasised in the Boston survey window type and shape are important elements of the style and character of historic buildings. As was found in the Boston survey the buildings of the early twentieth century in North Kesteven predominantly have pointed windows and in the mid nineteenth century a diversity of window shape is found. However, in the late nineteenth century, in marked contrast to the buildings of the Boston Borough, where round-headed windows predominated at that time, the buildings of North Kesteven have predominantly pointed windows. In West Lindsey there were equal numbers of buildings with round-headed and pointed windows in the late nineteenth century.

Age Flat Round Segmental Pointed Tudor Triangular Not known E18 1 L18 1 1 1 E19 3 1 4 M19 10 8 15 2 4 L19 1 8 1 19 1 1 E20 2 1 3 12 1 Not 2 1 2 2 known

Table 6: Shape of window openings by age of building – some buildings have more than 1 type, and/or traces of earlier openings, and appear more than once.

Burial Grounds

Only 6 chapels have associated burial grounds. They include the Quaker burial ground at Brant Broughton which dates back to the seventeenth century. The burial ground associated with the Primitive chapel at Heckington Fen and that associated with the Baptist chapel in Carlton-le-Moorland are no longer in use. No monuments could be identified at Heckington Fen and the burial ground at Carlton-le-Moorland can not be seen from the public road. The burial ground associated with the Wesleyan chapel which lies between Roxholm and Leasingham appears to be still in use, though the chapel was closed in 2005, as does the burial ground at Rowston, though the Wesleyan Reform chapel there was converted to a house, and subsequently an office, some time ago. The nonconformist mortuary chapel at Heckington still survives within Heckington cemetery but only the Anglican chapel there is still in use.

Associated Buildings

The importance attached to education by nonconformist groups is illustrated by the fact that in North Kesteven more than half of the chapels have physical, or documentary, evidence for associated Sunday Schools. This is around the same percentage as was found in the Boston Borough but much higher than was found in West Lindsey

Around a quarter of chapels have associated documentary references to Sunday Schools, and Sunday Scholars, and others have surviving identifiable separate buildings or annexes. In some cases they are incorporated in to the rear part of the chapel often with separate entrances as at Heckington and a Sunday School can sometimes be proposed when there is a separate entrance or change in the fenestration to the rear of the building (survey number 63610, see Fig 50). Some chapels had Sunday School buildings added at a much later date, as in the case of Wellingore where a Sunday School was added in 1925 to the chapel built in 1887 (survey number 63298, see Fig 51).

A particular group of Sunday Schools in the area to the west and south west of Lincoln are almost identical. They are at Eagle, Skellingthorpe, Thorpe-on-the-Hill, North Scarle and at Beckingham (survey numbers 61052, 61144, 62406, 61060 and 62620, see Figs 52, 49, 53, 54 and 55) but there are also other similar examples further afield at Scopwick and Timberland Dales (survey numbers 63419 and 62315, see Figs 56 and 57). The similarity of design of these Sunday Schools again suggests some use of standardised designs at this time.

Discussion and Conclusion

This survey of nonconformist chapels in North Kesteven District identified ninety one surviving buildings which had at one time been used as places of nonconformist worship. There were few isolated surviving chapels and 96% were situated within settlements. Of the four chapels found in isolated locations, one is still in use as a chapel, two are in use as a house and only one is presently disused and therefore potentially at risk. Six of the surviving chapels are listed buildings Grade II and the Friends Meeting House in Brant Broughton is a listed building Grade I.

Most of the surviving chapels were constructed in the middle and late nineteenth century though 16% were built in the early twentieth century. As found in the other areas surveyed, most chapels were constructed of red brick with gabled roofs and slate coverings particularly in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. However, a higher percentage of chapels in North Kesteven were constructed of stone than in either Boston or West Lindsey due to the easy availability of good building stone in the parishes close to the Jurassic limestone belt.

Most of the chapels constructed before the late nineteenth century are plain modest structures. In this district the chapels of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries predominantly had pointed windows and most of those from the early twentieth century are large architect designed buildings in Gothic style. However, there were also in this district some groups of buildings which were of remarkably similar design implying a degree of standardisation in the second half of the nineteenth century and early part of the twentieth century.

Surviving Wesleyan chapels were the most numerous and a greater proportion of Wesleyan chapels that were in existence in 1905 survive to the present than those of other denominations and chapels belonging to the various Methodist Reform groups were the most likely to have disappeared.

Forty percent of surviving buildings have retained their historic fabric intact (other than window frames) which means that the majority of chapels have lost to a greater or lesser degree some of their original fabric. Wesleyan chapels were the most likely to have survived intact and this was to some extent due to the fact that Wesleyan chapels were the most likely to have continued in use as places of worship and conversion to alternative use appears to be the factor most often leading to loss of historic fabric. However, only 10% of surviving chapels have minor, or minimal, levels of surviving historic fabric. Windows, doors and roof coverings were the features most likely to have been altered or lost. The majority of chapels which had changed use were in residential use and comprised 49% of the surviving buildings whilst 29% were still in use as places of worship.

As has been emphasised previously, the survival, size and style of nonconformist chapels in any area depends on local circumstances and there was a wide geographical and social diversity in North Kesteven. Most of the nonconformist chapels were built in open villages where freedom from landlord control allowed nonconformism to flourish. Where chapels were founded in closed villages this could affect the nature of the building as is demonstrated by the Primitive Methodist chapel at Ewerby.

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank Sarah Grundy, Mark Bennet and Beryl Lott of Lincolnshire County Council Historic Environment Team for all their help, advice and support throughout the project.

Sources and References:

Maps:

OS 25 inch County Series Maps 2nd Edition c. 1905 OS 1:10,000 Maps c1985

Bibliography:

Ambler R.W. Ed. 1979, Lincolnshire Returns of the Census of Religious Worship 1851. Lincoln Record Society Vol. 72. Lincoln: Lincoln Record Society

Ambler R.W. 2000, Churches, Chapels and Parish Communities of Lincolnshire 1660-1900. A Vol. IX. Lincoln: History of Lincolnshire Committee.

Ambler R.W. 1989, Ranters, Revivalists and Reformers: Primitive Methodism and Rural Society in South Lincolnshire 1817-1875. Hull University Press

Cox J. & Berry E. 1999, A Survey of Nonconformist Chapels in Cornwall. Swindon: English Heritage

Fawcett T 1902. A History of the Free Churches of Sleafordfrom 1662 to 1902. Sleaford: Fawcett G.G.

Grundy S. 2005, Nonconformist Chapels in West Lindsey. L.C.C. Report

Newton M. 1995, South Kyme: The History of a Fenland Village. Kyme Publications

Pevsner N. and Harris J. 1989, The Buildings of : Lincolnshire. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books

Rogers Alan. Ed. 1969, Stability and Change: Some aspects of North and South Rauceby in the Nineteenth Century. University of Nottingham: Dept of Adult Education

Stell C. 2002, An Inventory of Nonconformist Chapels and Meeting-Houses in Eastern England. Swindon: English Heritage

Trollope E. 1872, Sleaford and the Wapentakes of Flaxwell and Aswardhurn in the County of Lincoln. W. Kent and Co.

White W. 1856 (republished 1969), White’s 1856 Lincolnshire (History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire). Trowbridge: David & Charles

Appendices

1 Illustrations 2 Gazetteer Appendix 1: Illustrations continued

Fig. 3 Friends Meeting House at Brant Broughton (survey number 63028)

Fig. 4 Former Primitive Methodist Chapel at Ewerby (survey number 64237)

Fig. 5 Former Independent Chapel in Jermyn Street, Sleaford (survey number 65623)

Fig. 6 Former Wesleyan Chapel in Potterhanworth (survey number 61759)

Fig. 7 Former Wesleyan Chapel in Walcott nr Billinghay (survey number 62332)

Fig. 8 Former Wesleyan Chapel in Westgate, Sleaford (survey number 65622)

Fig. 9 Former Baptist Chapel behind Boston Road, Sleaford (survey number 65337)

Fig. 10 Former Baptist Chapel at Carlton-le-Moorland (survey number 63005)

Fig. 11 Former Wesleyan Chapel at North Scarle (survey number 65617)

Fig. 12 Former Primitive Chapel at Martin (survey number 62294)

Fig. 13 Former Free Methodist Church at Harmston (survey number 61889)

Fig. 14 Former Primitive Chapel in Westgate, Sleaford (survey number 65338)

Fig. 15 Wesleyan Methodist Chapel at Bassingham (survey number 62878)

Fig. 16 Wesleyan Methodist Chapel at Heighington (survey number 61431)

Fig. 17 Former Wesleyan Methodist Chapel at Metheringham (survey number 61998)

Fig. 18 Former Wesleyan Chapel at Martin (survey number 62284)

Fig. 19 Possible Former Sunday School at Martin (survey number 62284)

Fig. 20 Wesleyan Methodist Chapel at Billinghay (survey number 62362)

Fig. 21 Wesleyan Chapel at Osbournby (survey number 64706)

Fig. 22 Wesleyan Chapel at Timberland (survey number 62314)

Fig. 23 Former Primitive Chapel at Timberland (survey number 62319)

Fig. 24 Former Primitive Chapel at Heckington Fen (survey number 62989)

Fig. 25 Former Wesleyan Chapel at Harmston (survey number 61888)

Fig. 26 Former Wesleyan Chapel at Scredington (survey number 64854)

Fig. 27 Former Wesleyan Chapel at Digby (survey number 63848)

Fig. 28 United Methodist Chapel at Washingborough (survey number 61319)

Fig. 29 Former Wesleyan Chapel at Anwick (survey number 62546)

Fig. 30 Former Wesleyan Chapel at Wellingore (survey number 63298)

Fig. 31 Wesleyan Chapel at Potterhanworth (survey number 61761)

Fig. 32 Former Wesleyan Chapel at Swinderby (survey number 62458)

Fig. 33 Wesleyan Reform Chapel at Ruskington (survey number 64194)

Fig. 34 Heckington Nonconformist Mortuary Chapel (survey number 63824)

Fig. 35 Former Wesleyan Chapel at Walcott nr Billinghay (survey number 62330)

Fig. 36 Former Primitive Chapel at Martin (survey number 62285)

Fig. 37 Former Primitive Chapel at Wilsford (survey number 64394)

Fig. 38 Former Wesleyan Chapel at South Kyme (survey number 62536)

Fig. 39 Wesleyan Chapel at Metheringham (survey number 61985)

Fig. 40 Wesleyan Chapel at Navenby (survey number 65610)

Fig. 41 Wesleyan Chapel at Heckington (survey number 63609)

Fig. 42 Former Primitive Methodist Chapel at Billinghay (survey number 65620)

Fig. 43 Former Wesleyan Chapel at Great Hale (survey number 64493)

Fig. 44 Former Wesleyan Chapel at Thorpe-on-the-Hill (survey number 62406)

Fig. 45 Former Wesleyan Chapel at Eagle (survey number 61052)

Fig. 46 Wesleyan Chapel at North Scarle (survey number 61060)

Fig. 47 Former Wesleyan Chapel at Waddington (survey number 61252)

Fig. 48 Former Wesleyan Chapel at Coleby (survey number 61932)

Fig. 49 Wesleyan chapel and Sunday School at Skellingthorpe (survey number 61144)

Fig. 50 St Andrew’s Church House and Former Wesleyan Chapel at Heckington (survey number 63610)

Fig. 51 Former Wesleyan Sunday School at Wellingore (survey number 63298)

Fig. 52 Former Wesleyan Chapel and Sunday School at Eagle (survey number 61052)

Fig. 53 Former Sunday School at Thorpe-on-the-Hill (survey number 62406)

Fig. 54 Wesleyan Sunday School at North Scarle (survey number 61060)

Fig. 55 Wesleyan Chapel and Sunday School at Beckingham (survey number 62620)

Fig. 56 Wesleyan Sunday School at Scopwick (survey number 63419)

Fig. 57 Former Wesleyan Chapel and Sunday School at Timberland Dales (survey number 62315)