The little
Ebenezer Chapel was bought and moved, brick by brick, from
Dunk’s Green near Tonbridge about the year 1880, or a little
later. A small wooden Baptist Chapel previously stood on this
site. It was first run as a Baptist’s Chapel, but later became
Free Church, and is now a Wesleyan Chapel.
In the early 1900’s Mr and Mrs George Day of
North Ash Farm were responsible for the running and upkeep of
the Chapel. They organised a large Sunday School, and the great
day of the year was the "Annual Recitation
Meeting", when people came from all the surrounding
villages to hear the pupils recite, sing etc: and receive their
prizes for good attendance during the year.
Good Friday was another great annual event, when
the "Anniversary Service" was held. It started with an
afternoon meeting with a speaker, followed by tea, and then
another meeting in the evening. These meetings were very well
attended, people driving for miles in their dog-carts and
wagonettes etc: and sometimes there were many who could not get
into the Chapel.
Another well-attended meeting was the "Band
of |
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Ebenezer Chapel
Hope" ,
which was a Temperance Meeting held every Monday evening in
the Winter, mainly for the youth of the village. Sometimes it
took the form of a Magic Lantern which was very exciting in
those days, long before the cinema made its appearance.
Occasionally plays were performed or dialogues given, usually
with a moral shewing the evils of drunkenness. |