History

On November 14th. 1771, John Peacock, the Wesleyan Minister at Epworth was in Messingham, he had come from Scotter with a Licence authorising the use of the house of Mr. Jonathan Babbins for Methodist meetings. On his arrival at Messingham he secured the signatures of several people for the licensing of the house of Mr. John Champion for the same purpose, this marks the beginning of Methodism in the village. It is possible, of course that meetings had been held for some time prior to this, but a licence gave the necessary security to the householder, and made such gatherings lawful. Benjamin Rhodes, the second Minister at Epworth also signed the certificate.
The Licence contains the names of six others, there is no certainty that these were Messingham people and no light is shed as to their occupations but all save one (Jervis) are local surnames. The six are; John Smith, William Stocks, William Jervis, William Sharp, Thomas Parker and Robert Harsley.

On July 20th. 1772 John Wesley was in Brigg, he came to Messingham 4 days later on the July 24th. 1772. He says ‘for the first time’ and he preached ‘under a wide spread tree. One or two poor men, not very sober, made some noise for a time; but they soon walked away and left me a numerous and attentive congregation.’
The tree is believed to be the one which stood at the junction of Cross Tree Road and the High Street opposite the 'Green Tree' public house.
The mention of being in Messingham for the first time implies further visits but none are recorded, he did however visit Scotter several times in the following years so it is possible.

During the first ten years of the society’s existence several more people opened their homes for Methodist meetings. In 1777 Mary Bows licensed her house and two years later both John and Richard Stocks opened theirs.

After meeting for twenty or more years in the homes of the members, a small thatched building was erected in 1796 or earlier, this was the first chapel. Where it stood is not certain, nor is anything known respecting its size or appearance. Ministers were John King and Thomas Vasey who signed the certificate requesting that the ‘chapel lately erected…’ be registered as a place of worship for the Methodists. Trustees were Paul Wilson, John Barker, Richard Stocks, Robert Cousins and John Murray.

This chapel was as short lived as it was useful, for it lasted little more than a quarter of a century. By 1812 the Methodists, now numbering around three dozen decided to build a new one and the present chapel was built, just fifty years after the introduction of Methodism into Messingham.

The first deeds of the chapel are dated 3rd March 1821; a local farmer Mr. Richard Baker, who had been in the congregation when John Wesley preached here, donated the land on which it is built.
The chapel cost the sum of £450 to build and it took the trustees 40 years to pay off the debt, which had been incurred.
In 1838 a Sunday School was started, although the room, which we now call 'The Old School Room, or Scout Room' was not built until 1869.
The pews, which are still in use today, were installed in 1876.
The Choir and Organ (which is also still in use every Sunday) were added in 1911; the photograph, which dates from around this time, shows the Choir, Organ and Pulpit decorated for Harvest Festival.

In 1951 the Wesleyan Methodist Movement and the Primitive Methodist Movement amalgamated and the Primitive Chapel on the High Street was sold to Mr. Fardell who, for many years, used the building for his shop and garage business. This building was eventually demolished to make way for the existing Co-op at the junction of the High Street and Wendover Road. With the proceeds of the sale of the “Prim” Chapel more land behind the premises and to the side of the School Room was purchased.
In 1951 renovation work was carried out, which included the pulpit being lowered and the arch over the Choir being removed.
In the early 1960s the Trinity Methodist Church in Scunthorpe was sold to make way for the new British Home Store, this sale provided funds in the form of grants for several local churches, at Messingham a substantial grant was obtained for the building of the present church hall, which was opened on the 17th. August 1961.
The size of the car park to the rear of the buildings was now severely reduced and access was also difficult as the garden of 50 Northfield Road protruded into the car park at the point of entry. The problem was overcome when the owner gave the lower part of the garden to the church in return for a permanent right of way to the remainder of the garden.
1970 saw the addition of 2 small rooms off the main hall; these are now used by the   Sunday School and as changing rooms when the hall stage is being used for concerts and the like.
In 1972 the land to the west of the chapel was redeveloped by the Glanford Council, as part of this redevelopment a driveway alongside the chapel was built and the chapel was granted the right to leave the car park via this driveway, this is the reason for the one-way system around the property.
1975 saw the installation of a suspended ceiling in the Old School Room followed in 1977 by the installation of the present Communion Rail, which gives the Minister more room.
The next decade saw, in 1980 the Chapel re-decorated and the lighting improved, in 1981 a tiled, pitched roof was fitted over the existing flat roof to the Hall, which had proved problematical for several years, the new roof costing £5,000. Two legacies in 1988 enabled the replacement of all the Chapel windows and the two front windows in the Old School Room with double glazed UPVC units.
In 1990 the remaining windows throughout the buildings were also replaced with double glazed UPVC ones. The floor in the Old School Room was renewed in 1992 when it was discovered that the boards were very damp, having being laid directly onto the original brick floor. In 1996 the side entrance was modified with the inclusion of new store cupboards and a security gate, and in 1997 the kitchen was refurbished.
The new millennium saw the installation of fire doors to the hall and kitchen and the fitting of emergency lighting throughout most of the building, these being required to allow the building to obtain an Entertainment Licence from the council.
In 2003 the Vestry was made smaller to allow the installation of a wheelchair accessible toilet with the Ladies toilets being refurbished the following year.                                  In 2008 the Hall was redecorated and the exterior of the buildings repainted, whilst in 2009 we have had the carpark resurfaced, which enables the playgroup and other children's organisations to use the area when the weather permits.

The foregoing gives a brief outline of what has been achieved in the past. The improvements and additions have been made possible by the commitment, hard work and prudent use of funds by the Trustees and Members in the past.
It is beholden on the present and future members to continue to maintain the fabric of the buildings and continue to improve the facilities of the premises so that they can continue to serve as both a place of worship and as a valuable resource for the local community in Messingham.

Many thanks to -
Mr. L. H. Bristow, Mr. W. Leary and other past Trustees for researching the history and compiling the booklet '200 years of Methodism in Messingham' for the chapel's 150th. anniversary in 1971 and to Mr. Norman Tutty for his many notes and comments made in the booklet from which much of the above is taken.
Mr. Dennis Bradley for the research and recording of much of the later history of the Chapel and it’s buildings.

It is also good to note that many of the surnames of Trustees who have served the chapel from it's beginnings to the present day are still to be found in the membership and congregation.