Tolpuddle Old Chapel

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the Event Listings Page or the Regular Activities page on this website.

The Old Chapel

The former Grade II listed Methodist Chapel is situated on the north side of the main road in the centre of Tolpuddle, opposite Orchard Meadow Park and has recently undergone extensive restoration and renovation work.  This was completed in June 2023 and information about access etc can be found in the timeline updates at the bottom of this page.

The significance of the former Methodist Chapel 

The former chapel is listed as Grade II* by Historic England.

Prior to the chapel’s construction in 1818, there was a growing interest in non-conformist belief which resulted in 1810 with a licence being granted for Methodist worship in the home of Thomas Loveless, a Tolpuddle agricultural worker.

Thomas’s son, George, became involved in the growing local Methodist circuit as a lay-preacher.  The increasing number of worshipers created the need to build a purpose built chapel.  It was built on land next to Thomas Standfield’s cottage and was officially opened on 13th October 1818.

It is likely that George Loveless and Thomas Standfield were actively involved in the construction of this unique cob building.

As a chapel it was used for worship by at least four of the six Dorsetshire Labourers, who in 1838 became known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs.  Three of them may well have preached from its pulpit.  The chapel played an important part in developing the education and understanding of deepening social injustices within the membership, which resulted in their forming an agricultural workers friendly society.  This eventually led to their arrest, trial and deportation to Australia in 1834.  Five of the six freed Tolpuddle Martyrs did not return to live and worship in Tolpuddle.

The continued existence of the chapel can be confirmed through to 1843, and it may well have remained in use until a new village Methodist chapel was built in 1862-63.  The former chapel then became an agricultural building and store.

Restoration and renovation have taken place recently (2021-2023).  The building is mainly built of cob on brick and stone/flint bases and was originally thatched.  The roof structure was later replaced with slate and recently was covered with double roman clay tiles.  The original door leading from the road was blocked with an infill window with a boarded hatch above it but has now been reopened and restored to the original.  The east and west windows had been bricked up to enable the insertion of a hay loft.  These are now reopened and the hay loft removed.  The beautiful original central pointed arched window opening on the rear wall has also been restored.

The Future:

The renovation and repair of the former chapel will allow interpretation and community engagement activities to tell the history of this unique building and its connection to the Dorsetshire Labourers, who later became known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs.  The project will become a ‘quiet place in the heart of this historic Dorset village’ and will ‘provide the location for activities, exhibitions and community use’.

The Trust’s (TOCT) vision is ‘working for the preservation, maintenance and renovation of the grade II* listed former Methodist Chapel and its site and its historical, architectural and constructional heritage for the benefit of the people of Tolpuddle and of the nation.’

For much more information please click here for the TOCT website

For a timeline of the restoration and renovation please see below.

August 2023 Update
The renovation work on Tolpuddle Old Chapel is now completed and we look forward to opening the Chapel for visitors and residents as soon as we are able to do so.  Sadly, we are not yet able to open the Chapel unattended, on account of three acts of malicious vandalism that have taken place.  This is deeply regrettable, but our first priority must be to conserve the building, and leaving the door open is therefore not an option.  We will be staffing the Chapel with volunteers for limited opening hours, and these will be posted on a board outside the Chapel as soon as we are able to organise this. If any residents would like to volunteer for such a purpose they would be most welcome to contact us at:  deliverymanager@tolpuddleoldchapeltrust.org

On behalf of the Trustees I would like to thank the people of Tolpuddle for their forbearance during the Chapel’s renovations.   I know this cannot have been easy, particularly for those residents in close proximity.

The Chapel now moves into its second stage, with a new Board of Trustees.  We ask for your patience and understanding while we establish ourselves as a working Board.  We will shortly be undertaking broader consultations with people and organisations in the village, and we will subsequently be holding ‘open hours’ so that residents can pop in with their ideas, and hear more about our plans.

Philip Martin, Chair, Tolpuddle Old Chapel Trust