AND ITS SURROUNDINGS. 85 



this locality. That branch of Methodism which perpetuates 

 the name of Wesley was introduced into the town about 

 the beginning of the present century by a few pious 

 Welshmen, who were stationed here in one of the militia 

 regiments from the principality. They having met together 

 in a cottage, in Dodbrooke, for social prayer in their native 

 language, invited the townspeople to join them, and con- 

 ducted religious worship in English. The times of meeting 

 were announced by the town-crier, and the services thus 

 commenced amidst much obloquy and scorn, resulted in 

 the gathering of many converts, who formed the nucleus 

 of a society which attracted the notice of the Methodist 

 conference, who appointed a duly-qualified minister to 

 labour in Kingsbridge, Dartmouth, Modbury, and all the 

 intermediate country, under the denomination of the South 

 Devon Mission. A school-room was hired in Kingsbridge, 

 where regular services were held every Sabbath-day during 

 several years, when the Methodists having lived down the 

 opposition which met their first efforts, and considerably 

 increased in numbers, purchased the site which they at 

 present occupy, together with the house adjoining, and 

 in the year 1813 erected a commodious place of worship, 

 which for some time was known exclusively in the town 

 as the Chapel; the preaching places of the Independents 

 and Baptists being at that time designated respectively 

 the Higher and Lower Meetings. Kingsbridge became the 

 head of what is known in Methodism as a circuit, extending 

 from Salcombe on the one side to Modbury and Ermington 

 on the other, and containing at the present time seven 

 chapels, besides several other preaching places, with each 

 of which is connected a Sunday-school. 



In the early part of the year 1870, the chapel built in 



