Methodism in Slip End

The photographs at the head and foot of this page show the Primitive Methodist |chapel in Slip End on the Ordnance Survey maps of 1880| and 1924| respectively. The chapel ceased to be a Primitive Methodist place of worship in 1932 when the various strands of Methodism reunited to form the Methodist Church of Great Britain - Slip End then becoming a purely Methodist chapel.

In the early 1970s Pepperstock| Baptists| obviously had good relations with the Methodists in Slip End as it was proposed to sell the Slip End Methodist chapel and enter into an agreement to share Pepperstock Baptist chapel. This proposal was made following an inspection in 1972 by chartered architect Clifford W.Shrimplin reported on both premises. Of the Methodist church in Slip End he reported: "A  brick and slated building about 60 years old. Principal defects are settlement cracks showing in main walls, rear annexe moving away from main building, lack of damp proof courses, repairs and renewals required to roof, gutters etc., inadequate toliet facilities, general repairs and redecoration required. To put the building in a sreasonable state of repair, excluding the cost of any new toilets, would be in my opinion say, £3,000.00 - £5,000.00".

He concluded "I understand that the location of each church is relatively unimportant as regards distance from the centre of the village as in any case the straggling nature of same makes the definition of  "centre of village" difficult. I would have thought, however, that Slip End was a little better sited in relation to public transport, but that there would be less noise at Pepperstock. To sum up, I would recommend that Pepperstock be retained and Slip End be sold. My principal reason for suggesting this is that whereas any alternative use for Pepperstock would, in my opinion, be refused permission by the Planning Authority and therefore become valueless, the redevelopment of the Slip End site for say residential purposes could not be refused. The money from the sale of same could be used to create good and acceptable conditions at Pepperstock".

Given that there were now less than six members of the church, of whom only two could guarantee any long term commitment, the trustees decided unanimously to close and sell the chapel and this duly happened in 1973. The building was offered for sale at £15,000 but was eventually sold for just £3,250, demolished and replaced by a private dwelling house.