“THE CHAPEL ON THE HILL” ...
The above is the title of ‘Portland Methodist Church’ by A.J. Lambert, which is to be found in the archives of Bristol and Avon Records Office at Smeaton Road ,Ashton
This Church formerly stood on the site of Knightstone House and a part of it viz. The Lutton Hall and rooms above were incorporated into the present building.
George Griffiths <11> and Gill Kelly <3> have recently visited the Records Office and you will find below a number of salient facts that they extracted from this interesting booklet and another handwritten account on similar lines.
The followers of the evangelist, John Wesley, in the eighteenth century originally attended their local Parish Churches, but the new movement was not welcomed by many of the Anglican clergy and Wesley’s New Room in Broadmead came to be the place in Bristol where these followers came together for worship.
However, in view of the increasing numbers attending there, it was felt that there was a need for additional accommodation and Thomas Webb, Late Captain of the 48th Regiment of Foot, acquired this site for the erection of a meeting place.
The new building opened for Divine Service in 1792 and from the outset attracted a large congregation. Within three years the Methodist Society severed all connection with the Established Church and the Methodist Church was officially born.
The early Methodists were not an affluent community and so Portland Chapel was of very simple construction, e.g. no tower and no steeple. Internally, the early Chapels were severely plain, consisting as a general rule of four plain walls, flat roof, a large gallery and a pillared entrance.
Portland Chapel would have conformed to this design on a fairly small scale. It could be entered from both Portland Street and Henrietta Street and there were oil lamps at each door (the only illumination of this type in the building). Gas lighting for the building was introduced in 1833.
Miss Anne Lutton was for many years an eloquent preacher to her own sex throughout England and Ireland and spoke several languages. She was blind for nearly twenty years prior to her death on 22nd August 1881 at the age of ninety. In 1883 the Chapel decided to erect the Lutton Memorial Hall.