Wesleyan Chapel, Campbell Town x2

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Approximate site of the first chapel, built and opened in 1839. Seven years later, a second chapel was built in front of the original building. 

It was built in front of the old chapel in 1846. It was much larger than the first, measuring 46 by 27 feet, and its furnishings were all of cedar. A large gallery was erected across the back of the building in the following year.The Mercury, 7 January 1940

This too was replaced in 1880, by a larger church in the main street

HTC 8 March 1839
Hobart Town Courier, 8 March 1839

HTC 20 September 1839
Hobart Town Courier, 20 September 1839

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From information panel on site:

This is where Campbell Town’s first Methodist chapel was built in 1839. It was only 130′ by 17′ and was completed debt free thanks to generous donations from members of the local community. Captain and Mrs Horton of the property Somercotes, where the first organised Methodist services in the area had been conducted, were amongst those who gave most.

By 1841 the congregation had grown so large that extra seating was added and finally in 1846 the building you see [in the photos] was constructed. It stands directly in front of the old chapel.It too had to be adapted to cope with an ever increasing congregation–in case a large gallery was built. In 1864 during the jubilee of the Australian Wesleyan Methodist church subscriptions were raised again in part to build a bigger chapel. [Brickhill Church, opened 1880] At that time the first chapel was converted in the residence of the chapel keeper and this building modified to become a Sunday School.

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CAMPBELL TOWN.-On Wednesday next, the Rev. Mr. Boyce, will open the Wesleyan Chapel, Campbell Town, newly erected.
Launceston Examiner, 14 November 1846

The Rev. Mr. Bovce, the superintendent of the Wesleyan Mission in the Pacific, arrived from Sydney on Wednesday, and preached morning and evening yesterday in the Patterson-street chapel. In the afternoon he addressed the children of the Sunday Schools. The reverend gentleman will preach at Campbell Town on the occasion of opening the new chapel lately erected there, on Wednesday next.
Launceston Advertiser, 16 November 1846

BUILDING FOR MARRIAGES.-The Wesleyan Chapel, King-street, Campbell Town, is duly registered and Gazetted according to law, as a building for solemnizing marriages.
Launceston Examiner, 27 January 1847

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St Michael’s Catholic Church, Campbell Town

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Opened 29 September 1857. From panel on site:

Bishop Wilson was responsible for the construction of this bluestone church and his coat of arms and initials, WW, can be found on the south-eastern wall. Wilson has tried and failed to obtain land for the Church in the 1840s, but succeeded in 1857 and it was consecrated in September of that year.

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