Clophill Methodist Chapel High Street Clophill Bedford

Replaced the existing Wesleyan Chapel, built in 1814, which was compulsorily purchased by the County Council and demolished in 1937 for road widening of the A6.  Plans for a new chapel on a site in High Street had been prepared by Arthur Brocklehurst by September 1936.  The builders of the new chapel were Stanford & Clarke Limited of Maulden who entered the lowest quote - £2,667 3s 7 d  and the stone laying ceremony took place on 25th September 1937.

"The new Clophill Methodist Chapel is completed and has a pleasing appearance. The chapel, which faces the High Street, has seating accommodation for 214 and has central heating. At the north side of the chapel is the schoolroom, which holds about ninety. This is separated from the main hall by a folding partition which can be thrown back so that there can be one large hall for special services. The interior covers 240 square yards in all with three pairs of external folding doors fitted with panic alarm bolts: two of these doors are on the south side and one on the west side".

"There is a large window in the south wall, three in the north wall, three in the west wall, and two in the east wall. The seating will consist of chairs instead of pews and there will be two aisles with rows of four seats each side and rows of nine in the centre. The pulpit is fitted with rollers for moving it to any position in the chapel, and there is a communion rail, which is also transportable. The organ, which is fitted with an electric blower, is situated on the east side in a separate compartment. The vestry is on the west side. There is a kitchen on the east side fitted with a sink and an electric copper. The walls are distempered in buff and the woodwork finished with eggshell varnish. The floor of the chapel is made of deal blocks and the woodwork, including the roof, is Columbian pine with the exception of the window frames and sills, which are of red deal and oak. The lighting consists of eleven lamps of 150 watts each. "The building was carried out by Messrs Stanford and Clarke, of Maulden, and the decorating by Mr. G. H. Woodcraft, of Ampthill. The opening ceremony will take place to-morrow (Saturday). [The Bedfordshire Times  18th February 1938].

Reference    Bedfordshire Times 18th February 1938
Reference    www.bedfordshire.gov.uk – Methodism in Clophill