AUSTWICK'S Methodist Chapel is to close down next month after almost a century of worship there.

The congregation at the red tiled building, in the centre of the North Craven village, is now down to just two young families, and the upkeep of the premises has proved too much.

"Really they need to continue in the fellowship without having to worry about the building," said Rev John Bennett, circuit minister.

Andrew and Ruth Dawson, of Cold Cotes, and Nick and Lindsay Voigt, of Clapham Road, Austwick, run the chapel as well as being the congregation.

"We have been going along for about 10 years and basically it has got a bit hard work with just the four of us and our children. We have decided it is time to call it a day," said Ruth, who is the church secretary.

"We will probably start going elsewhere. There are plenty of other churches in the area and it is not as if we will have a long way to go.

"The chapel has been struggling for probably about 20 years, and it has had a small congregation for quite a long time," she added.

"It has been a very special place over the years. We have had a few christenings, but we haven't had a wedding there for a long time."

The first records of Methodism in Austwick appear in about 1806 when five members of the society were reported in the village.

By 1815 this had risen to 13, and in those days the services were held in a private house, said former Dalesman editor and well known local historian, Bill Mitchell.

The "old chapel" was built in 1823 and it featured a gallery and a rostrum for the preachers.

One of the families connected with the chapel was the Byles family, who came from Bradford on holidays.

Mr A R Byles was editor of the Bradford Observer newspaper and he took a close interest in Methodism in Austwick.

With his encouragement the decision was taken to build a new, more suitable chapel, and in 1899 the site of the current chapel was obtained with the memorial stone being laid in 1900.

The chapel itself opened in June 1901.

Mr Mitchell told the Herald: "The chapel is rather more ornate than the usual chapels and has a big school room down below. Within living memory the place used to be almost full."

The last service at Austwick Chapel will take place on Friday December 4, and after that the building will be sold.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.