THE METHODIST CHURCH Market Square DARTMOUTH

1810 - 1983

The Church has a history dating from 1782, nine years before John Wesley died in 1791.

The earliest meetings were probably held in a house which stood on the present site. The house was situated at the East end of the site, with a large garden attached. At this time the house and garden were on the shore of the Mill Pool on the South, that is, where the present front elevation now stands. This Mill Pool was tidal and covered the whole of the present Market Square and Victoria Road as far as Ford Cross. The road to Townstal was by way of Clarence Street and Clarence Hill and more or less a cart track.

The owner of the house and garden was a lady sympathetic to the Wesleyan Methodist cause. A church was built on this site, the house remaining. The land at first was leasehold, but later the freehold was obtained.

A church existed in 1810 and there is in the possession of the present church (now closed) a letter from one Sarah Williams, requesting permission for the administration of the Sacrament to be available for the church, dated 1810.

There is also in existence a circuit plan of appointments for the year 1827. The names of surrounding villages on the plan bear witness to the spread of the cause in a few years. The spelling of some of the names is interesting: Dartmouthe, Brixham, Kingsweare, Streete, Cornworthy, Dittisham, Churston, Kingsbridge, Slapton and Capton.

The draining of the Mill Pool and the subsequent filling in was begun probably about 1815. It took some years to complete but by 1825 the New Road, now known as Victoria Road, was completed.

A Court and Market House were built on the filled-in Pool site in 1828. There was also incorporated a Pannier Market which is still in its original state. This filled-in area, now known as the Market Square, gave the church a much improved frontage.

Communion silver was given to the early church; there are four pieces in excellent condition - they are engraved as follows: -

Wesleyan Methodist Society

Dartmouth

1834

By 1874 the church had progressed in all directions and it was deemed necessary to have a larger building. So in May 1874 the house at the East end was demolished and the site included in the existing church.

The date 1874 has been erroneously stated for the building of the Methodist Church but the year 1874 saw the extension of the frontage at the East end and another floor added to form a Sunday School and classrooms.

Memorial Stones were placed on the buttresses, the same being removed in 1938. The church has in its possession two ivory handled silver trowels used for the laying of the memorial stones and presented to Messrs. Diggle & Luscombe. The work was completed by the end of October 1874.

The organ, still in use, was installed in 1882.

In 1932 the Union of the Methodist Churches led to the closing of the United Methodist Church in Newcomen Road and the Primitive Methodist Church in Victoria Road, The Market Square Wesleyan Church became known as the 'Methodist Church'.

In 1938 there were extensive alterations to the building; the side galleries were removed and the organ was moved to the ground floor. The entrance at the West end was enlarged so that it could be used for meetings. The centre church windows on the front elevation were renewed to form ftree long windows.

A large amount of glass was shattered in February 1943 when an enemy bomb fell in the main street of the town.

Prior to 'D-day landings in 1944, a very large number of servicemen was in the area. A canteen was opened in the Sunday School of the Methodist Church and was catered for by the Congregational Church and the Methodist Church on alternate weeks; this proved to be very popular.

After the cessation of hostilities in 1945 congregations became smaller due partly to the building of the housing estate at the top of the hill. About that time also, the Dartmouth Church was without a resident minister.

Kingswear Methodist Church closed in 1968 (built in 1868). The very imposing oak pulpit, together with the Communion rail, chair, table and choir pews, were incorporated into the Dartmouth Church and dedicated there in May 1969.

By 1971 exploratory talks had begun regarding the re-alignment of Circuit boundaries. In 1974 Brixham & Dartmouth Circuit Meeting accepted the proposed amalgamation of Fore Street and Milton Street, Brixham, with Dartmouth and Blackawton, to be part of the larger circuit which would be known as the 'Torbay Circuit', to become effective from September 1977. The Brixham & Dartmouth Circuit had been in existence for one hundred and sixty-one years.

By September 1977 Blackawton Church (1823) had closed, leaving the Dartmouth Church on its own on this side of the River Dart.

The last service was held on 12th December, 1982, a sad occasion for many, but memories of happier times remain.

GLADYS M. PLOWRIGHT at Dartmouth Church 1907 -1983.