Allways End Methodist Chapel

 

Allways End Methodist Chapel is situated in the hamlet of Oldways End in the extreme west of the Parish of Brushford in the County of Somerset. The fact that the hamlet lies in three different parishes and two different counties must surely, in part, account for its name. The road through Oldways End forms the county border and it is a well known story that the preacher stands in Somerset while the congregation sit in Devon!

 

 

The Methodist Chapel was opened in 1845 and the original deed shows that the ground on which it was built was to be leased for 5,000 years at the sum of five shillings a year. The deed was signed by Thomas Blackmore, a local wheelwright and great great grandfather of Maurice Blackmore of South Molton, Ruby Willcocks of Tiverton and her brothers Clifford and Leslie Jones. It was also signed by John Commins, about whom little is known and Gregory Dascombe, great great grandfather of Aubrey Hollis of London and Pricilla Dascombe who lives in South Africa.

 

Yet another interesting link with the past is the fact that the ground on which the chapel was built belonged to Allshire formerly farmed by the Routley family, who were former members of All-Ways End Chapel. In the days when the chapel was built, the land was owned by a family called Vine and later it was brought by Thomas Summers of Old-Ways End.

 

In 1932 it was thought necessary to build a Hall for Sunday School and youth work. The 'Application to build' form was signed by John Dascombe, John Summers and George Frayne, again names which have association with the South Molton Circuit. This hall was demolished and re-built in 1985 mainly for Sunday school and youth work activities and is still use today for special services and by village organisations, but sadly there is no longer a Sunday school.