In 1813 at the consistory court in York, permission was given by the Archbishop to a Jonathan Cook a Thornton-le-Beans yeoman to use his home as a place of worship. Seven years later in August 1820 J. Cook and 10 others became Trustees of the New Wesleyan premises. The building was set apart from other houses, no significance to the area of the site chosen. The land was purchased because it was available. The original plot was known as Cow Pasture Close, and owned by Thomas Bramley and measured 10yds by 12yds.
The Chapel was rebuilt in 1863 and it was extended. These dates are engraved in stone above the door in which Weslean is spelt, incorrectly. From records it states that the first building had 52 free sitting and 20 others, no free space for standing. The enlarged building seated 104.
A Religious Census in 1851 tells us that the average attendance on an afternoon was 40 and evenings 12, with a village population of 247. The Wesley Guild was started in 1932 and continued until 2008.
Electric lighting was installed in 1934 and the first bill was 3sh.11d. It appears most of the village did not get electricity until much later. The village joiners were members of the chapel (John and David Franks) and made the communion table at a cost of £1.2sh.6d. in 1935 and also made black out screens for the windows, so services could be held during the war years. A memorial clock to the Franks brothers still tells us the time. The traditional semi-circular pulpit was replaced in 1934 by the one we use today at a cost of £37.10sh.0d. Seat or pew rent was paid by members for their families to sit in, until 1936.
In 1950 a licence for marriages was granted with the presence of a Registrar, and the first wedding (of Freda Franks to Herbert Chapman) took place in 1953. In later years a safe was purchased to hold our own Marriage Register which meant a Registrar was no longer required.
The chapel was heated by a coke stove until 1969 when an electric storage heater was installed. The stoves must have been well used for heating the building, as they were regularly replaced with new ones.
For many years the services each Sunday were Sunday School at 1-30pm and services at 2-30pm and 6-30pm. The first Sunday in June was always Sunday School Anniversary and often a service on the Tuesday evening, this continued until the Sunday school closed in 1981.
The old American type organ (which was tuned every year) was replaced by a second hand electric organ in 1987 and is still in use.
The old slate roof was removed and replaced with pantiles in 1990. A wall was built around the yard to replace the hedge in 1991. Mrs Mary Poulter tended the strips of garden at both sides of the new wall until her death. The old pews on the lower level were replaced with chairs in 1998, making it more adaptable and user friendly.
In 2000 a wall hanging was made, depicting the things that happened during the churches life. All the lady members plus some family and friends made a section which was attached to the main background material, it hangs in the church today with a replica of the stone outside with Wesleyan spelt wrongly. The wooden cross above the pulpit was given in memory of Mr R. Baker, a member and treasurer of many years.
We continue to hold a service once a week and 5th Sundays we join with the Anglican churches in our parish. The village population has not increased very much since 1851, but the number of houses has probably doubled.
Members help with the Lent Lunches organised in Northallerton to raise funds for Christian Aid. We also support and help with the Annual Village Shoe, held on the playing field next to the chapel.
We still continue to go carol singing (weather permitting); we have a record that the members went out carol singing in 1910.