NONCONFORMITY
In 1672 the house of a Mr. Bennett in North Weald
was licensed for worship by
Presbyterians. (fn. 41) A conventicle
in the parish was licensed in
1704. (fn. 42)
No nonconformist place of worship was mentioned
in the returns of 1829 as then existing in North
Weald, (fn. 43) but a Congregational chapel was opened soon
after. This was probably the chapel shown on the
parish map of 1838, near the south end of Weald
Bridge. (fn. 44) In 1841 Richard Cecil, minister of the Congregational church at Chipping Ongar (q.v.), reported
that students under his care had resumed preaching at
North Weald 'amidst encouraging circumstances'. (fn. 45)
Before 1847 a resident evangelist, Mr. Vale, had come
to North Weald and was receiving financial assistance
from the Essex Congregational Union. (fn. 46) About 1850
he began preaching at Moreton (q.v.), (fn. 47) where he was
living by 1857. (fn. 48) By 1859 he was preaching there
more often than at North Weald. Thenceforth the
congregation at North Weald seems to have declined, (fn. 49)
and services probably ceased altogether about 1874. (fn. 50)
The former chapel has apparently been demolished,
although the house beside it remains.
From about 1867 to 1875 services were held in the
parish at Tylers Green, in connexion with the Congregational church at Abridge in Lambourne (q.v.). (fn. 51)
In 1883 a Wesleyan Methodist chapel at Thorn-
wood Common was placed on the plan of the Wanstead
and Woodford circuit. (fn. 52) In 1892 the chapel was in
debt, but a mission was established to help it and by
the next year the debt had been reduced to £7. (fn. 53)
In 1898 a sub-committee was formed to inquire into
the affairs of the chapel, which, it was feared, were not
conducted in accordance with Methodist regulations. (fn. 54)
In 1899 Mr. Childs was appointed lay agent at a salary
of £25 a year and in June of that year he reported a
steady growth and a renewed observance of Methodist
principles. (fn. 55)
The society at Thornwood was never large, although at one time it had the largest Sunday school in
the circuit. (fn. 56) In 1935 the need for extensive repairs to
the chapel became evident. (fn. 57) In the following year
land was given for a new building by a Mr. Slack, (fn. 58)
but it was not used and in 1939 the chapel was finally
closed because there was not sufficient support to
justify either the erection of a new building or repairs
to the old. The chapel was demolished and the site
sold. (fn. 59) It stood on the west side of the main road
nearly opposite Weald Hall Lane.
In December 1888 a committee was formed by the
Wanstead and Woodford circuit to consider building
a Wesleyan chapel at North Weald, where military
barracks had recently been erected. (fn. 60) In the following
year it was decided to erect a rustic wooden chapel at
a cost of £150. (fn. 61) A plot of land was leased from Mr.
W. J. Smith at a rent of 10s. a year. (fn. 62) The new chapel
was opened in 1890, the cost of building having been
raised by public subscription. (fn. 63)
The new society was not very successful and in 1905
it was decided to continue it only on the recommendation of the Local Preachers' Meeting. (fn. 64) In 1907 an
adjacent plot of land was purchased for £120. In
1910 the original lease was renewed and a new trust
formed. (fn. 65)
In 1925 it was decided to build a new chapel at
North Weald. (fn. 66) On the recommendation of the circuit
development committee the chapel was built in 1929
at a cost of £1,074. (fn. 67) In 1930 it was reported that
young men from Woodford were doing valuable work
at North Weald, but in 1934 a committee was set up
to consider the work there. (fn. 68) In 1950 the problem of
the lease, which had been four times renewed since
1910, was solved by Mr. T. J. E. Bird, who bought the
freehold for £12 and gave it to the trustees. The
church has been under the supervision of the Epping
minister, who is at present the Revd. E. B. Roebuck.
The society has a membership of 19. (fn. 69) The chapel is
a small brick building, cement rendered.