Methodist Chapel and Stables at Raithby Hall

A Methodist chapel and stables, dating from around 1760, was altered in 1779 by Robert Carr Brackenbury and dedicated by John Wesley on 5th July 1779. The building is constructed of red brick in Flemish bond, with a hipped Westmorland slate roof and lead dressings. It is two storeys high, with a three-bay front. The ground floor contains stables, while the chapel occupies the first floor. The front features a central planked door within a semi-circular headed surround, with rendered panel over, flanked by single 19th-century plain sash windows. Above, a central semi-circular headed glazing bar sash is flanked by single glazing bar sashes with slightly cambered heads. All openings are topped with rubbed brick arches. An added blank bay to the left contains the chapel stair, finished with a ball finial to a plain parapet. The left side front has double planked doors set under a semi-circular arched stucco head, with a tripartite sash above, set within a brick tympanum and a semi-circular stucco head. The rear of the chapel features three glazing bar sashes, with the central one having a semi-circular head, and a planked doorway with a segmental head to the ground floor.

Inside, a semi-circular archway leads to a divided double-flight stone stair, with turned and knopped balusters, a turned newel, and a moulded hand rail. The balustrade returns to the window. Fine double-panelled doors are set in panelled reveals with a moulded wooden architrave, dentillated cornice on scrolled brackets, and a pediment. The chapel interior retains double-panel dado panelling. A hat rack is on the right hand side, opposite the men’s pews. It features a dentillated cornice and a segmental vaulted plaster ceiling. There are three sets of contemporary box pews to the rear, along with a moulded communion rail on turned and knopped balusters, set in a square beneath the pulpit, which has a matching balustrade. The pulpit features an octagonal tester, dentillated with entasis star. The stable retains five stalls with planked ramped partitions, chamfered verticals, wooden mangers and hayracks. John Wesley reputedly tied his horse up at one of the stalls during his visits to Raithby, and preached here on 3rd July 1788 to a packed congregation, a fact recorded in his Journal.