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Summer Hill Wesleyan Chapel Icknield Street West later Monument Road

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
This was on Icknield Street West. The original chapel was alledged to have been replaced in 1873 by Summer Hill Church - does that mean on the same site ? If so, the church must have been demolished to make way for the Assay Office (in 1893 - a mere 20 years later ?) Does the photo show the church rather than, as labelled, the Chapel ?

Could someone locate it on a map, please ? Thanks.

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I'm not sure I've got it right in post #2, it would need to be #398. I'm sure Janice has the right building.
On the house #158 it says 'adult school social club'.
 

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Was there any renumbering of properties when Icknield Street West became Monument Road ? Wondering if the old Assay Office is shown at that position c1893 ?
 
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I agree, Janice. The footprint of the church and surrounding features seem about right despite there probably having been some structural changes. There appear to be what I think are buttresses (?) around each side of the church (yellow dots), but only the front ones are visible on the photo.

If the chapel had gone by 1895, is it possible then that the Assay Office did actually replace it ? Is it shown on a map around this time? The problem is I've never seen a reference to an Assay Office at that location.
 
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We certainly do ! I found this on the Icknield Street thread, which in itself doesn't exactly move us any further forward, but at least it explains how Icknield Street West and East sat in relation to the later named Monument Road. Well, I think it does .... ! And I also think it must have involved some renumbering when the renaming of ISWest and ISEast to Monument Road came about. Screenshot_20260904_192056_Samsung Browser.jpg
 
I might have confused it with Summer Hill Church, which had an earlier chapel. That's why I questioned in post #1 if the church was on a different site to the chapel and wondered why on earth it would be demolished merely 20 years later. And I've since questioned did the Wesleyan faith ever name their places of worship as churches ? This is from British History Online:

"The chapel was replaced in 1873 by Summer Hill Church, q.v., and the site was, in 1893, occupied by the Birmingham Assay Office. (fn. 433). Summer Hill Church was completed in 1873. (fn. 434) It was designed by J. A. Chatwin, and has been described as a 'handsome structure of brick and terracotta, with a very lofty nave and chancel'. (fn. 435) A Sunday morning congregation of 215 was claimed in 1892. (fn. 436)."
 
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And to add to the confusion, these details are listed for Monument Road. If the Summer Hill Church/Assay Office site isn't connected to our original chapel, is any of this listing connected ? I assume the two listings are in the same place (?) Again, this is from British History Online

"Monument Road (formerly Icknield Street West) Wesleyan chapel was in use in 1859, and cost £750. It was replaced in 1866 by a new building, costing £5,052, (fn. 1415) with sittings for 1,000. (fn. 1416) In 1937 a third chapel, costing £11,096, was completed. (fn. 1417) This was built of brick and provided sittings for 875. It included eight ancillary rooms, of which three were built as school halls. (fn. 1418) The Sunday evening congregation in 1892 was 748, (fn. 1419) and church membership in 1932 107. (fn. 1420)

Monument Road (formerly Icknield Street West) Methodist New Connexion chapel was registered for public worship as a school-chapel in 1861. (fn. 1421) In 1876 a chapel to replace it was registered; (fn. 1422) it appears to have been built before 1874. (fn. 1423) In 1940 this new chapel was described as brickbuilt, with sittings for 495 and two school halls. (fn. 1424) The Sunday afternoon congregation in 1892 was 320, (fn. 1425) and church membership in 1932 145. (fn. 1426)"
 
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There were two Summer Hill Wesleyan Chapels

Going to the Methodist chapel listed in post 2 . The entries on the map is shown in directories as :

1873 327 Icknield St West Rev James Finch (Wesleyan)
Summer Hill Wesleyan Chapel (No number)

1876 327 Icknield St West Barnett Barnett , jeweller
328 Icknield St West Wesleyan Chapel

1878 328 Monument Road Barnett Barnett , jeweller
Wesleyan Chapel (No number)

Whereas on map below the Primitive chapel has gone, but was approximately where the red square is marked

map 1880 site of Primitive wesleyan chapel.jpg

1876 158 Icknield Road East Thomas Hyde , Fishmonger
Summer Hill Primitive Wesleyan Church (no number
159 Arthur Shaylor, baker and grocer

1878 158 Icknield Road East Thomas Hyde , Fishmonger
Summer Hill Primitive Wesleyan Church (no number)
159 Arthur Shaylor, baker and grocer

1879 158 Icknield St Thomas Hyde , Fishmonger
Summer Hill Primitive Wesleyan Church (no number)
159 Peter Knighton , baker
 
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So the photo in #1 is in Icknield Street East which became Icknield Street.
Identified by 158 on next property and in directory entries in post #4, #5 and #12.
We have no photo for the Chapel in Icknield Street West which became Monument Road
 
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