|
New Beginnings 
These Bible Christians in Pett, it is believed,
originally worshipped in Barden’s Forge. As time went by
they began to grow in numbers and were able to find the
resources to build their own place of worship. The
chapel here in Pett was completed and opened in 1848. It
was known then as the Mount Calvary Bible Christian
Chapel, as can be seen on the engraved stone over the
original front door.
Not much is known about those
early days. The original church building is now used as
the church hall, alongside the more modern building.
The plot, measuring
eleven and a half ‘perches’, was purchased on
30th May 1848 for the sum of
£10. The original trustees were George and Richard
Griffen, Thomas and Spencer Davis, Charles Beeching,
William Cloke and James Foster, who could not sign his
name, but
made his mark with the sign of the cross. The chapel was
registered as a place of dissenting worship at Lewes on
7th March 1849.
In 1907, the Bible Christian denomination was merged
into the United Methodist Church.
Teetotalism in Pett
Ahead of the merger, new trustees were appointed at a
special meeting on 8th
May 1906,
as every one of the 1848 trustees had died.
One of the new trustees was Richard
Scrase Moon, who was described as a Temperance Hotel Keeper. This
reflects the power of the local squires, the Shadwell family, who
were able to impose their temperance principles on the entire
village.
The hotel in question is now the Royal Oak Inn,
where children once went to buy sweets. To enjoy a pint
in those days, villagers had to trek down to Pett
Level.
Next
|
