The former chapel, listed as Grade II* by Historic England, was built in 1818 as a Methodist chapel. Its first service was met with an angry mob throwing stones at the preacher from Weymouth. The chapel probably remained in use until the mid C19 prior to the new Methodist chapel being built in 1862.
Tolpuddle Martyrs, Thomas Standfield and George Loveless, were involved in the construction of the building. The chapel was used by at least four of the six Tolpuddle Martyrs and it is believed that George Loveless was a lay preacher in the chapel.
Everyone is welcome to visit the old chapel and learn more about its refurbishment. For more information please go to the TOCT website Tolpuddle Old Chapel Trust
Saturday 20th July at 4.00pm
A talk by Professor Philip Martin – “George Loveless, ultra-radicalism and the Tolpuddle Context”
In this talk, Philip will present a revaluation of George Loveless’s writings as well-worked and intellectually rigorous attacks on the political status quo of the 1830s.
Much neglected, and commonly used only for biographical purposes, Loveless’s pamphlets are substantial underminings of the establishment hypocrisies of his time, which reveal his close ties with the London ultra-radicals and other influential political writers. He will also examine Loveless’s early years and development of Tolpuddle Methodism. The talk will take place in Tolpuddle Old Chapel (1818) – the first material trace of the Tolpuddle Martyrs.
Tickets are £5 at the door.
Please book a place by registering your name with [email protected] as numbers are limited.
Tolpuddle Old Chapel is about a hundred yards past the Martyrs’ Inn, on the left.