2022
ST4859 : Former Village Hall, The Batch, Rickford
taken 2 years ago, near to Burrington, North Somerset, England
Former Village Hall, The Batch, Rickford
Grade II Listed late 19th century chapel. The Wills Family (of tobacco fame) commissioned the building in 1888 to serve as a village hall and Baptist chapel. It became known as the Methodist Chapel, and eventually, it closed in the 1960s. Early maps suggest it was built on the site of former mill workers cottages, the mill having ceased any production in 1885. From 1965 until the last meeting on 30th June 2017 the church was leased as a Masonic Lodge for the Forest of Mendip Lodge, Somerset Freemasons, who report giving up the lease due to the cost of maintenance. The building is marked as 'village hall' on 1902-1929 maps and is referred to as Rickford Hall in some texts. Kelly's 1889 directory says without reference to Rickford that "W. H. Wills esq. J.P., D.L. has erected a public village hall, used on Sunday as a Baptist chapel". By the 1919 edition it refers directly to Rickford and states "...Lord Winterstoke, who also erected the Public Village Hall at Rickford, close to which there is an ornamental sheet of water, surrounded by shrubberies, formed and planted by Lord Winterstoke ". (Lord Winterstoke is William Henry Wills 1830-1911). In February 2021 planning was approved for 'Change of use of former masonic lodge to Office, research and development use'. Plans show minimal impact on the internal building layout, converting only the toilet annex to a kitchen and toilet.
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