By T. H. Baker. 



305 



Tradition says this Meeting-House stood on the site of the 

 Meeting-House of the Plymouth Brethren, in the angle between 

 Back Lane and Bishop's Corner. 



In 1795 a chapel was erected by the Independents, which was 

 pulled down in 1852 and a new one erected in its place, which in 

 1869 was converted into a British School, and the late Mr. Charles 

 Jupe erected at his own cost the present Congregational Chapel, 

 adjoining it, in Boar Street. 



The Primitive Methodist Chapel in North Street dates from 1846. 



The Plymouth Brethren met at a room in the Ship Inn, when 

 they first settled at Mere, but a few years since they built a new 

 Meeting- House on the site of the above-mentioned " Meeting- 

 House," which existed in the early part of the eighteenth century. 



There is also a " Friends' Meeting-House " in Salisbury Street. 



Next to the Church the Union is the most imposing building in 

 the town. It was erected in 1835 from designs by Gilbert Scott. 



School. 



The National Schoolroom was built in 1839 and enlarged in 

 1892, when the " Grove Buildings," now used as an infant school- 

 room and technical room, were erected at the cost of about £2400, 

 given by Miss Julia Elizabeth Chafyn Grove, of Zeals House. At 

 the same time the playground on the opposite side of the road was 

 given for the use of the scholars by the same lady. It was pre- 

 viously a farm-yard and the site of the Church-House. The class- 

 room on the north side of the National Schoolroom was added in 

 about 1864. 



The Ship Inn. 



The very fine iron scroll-work of the sign of the Ship Inn is said 

 to be of local manufacture. The artificer, to whom great credit is 

 due for this elaborate design, was a clockmaker named Kingston 

 Avery, who flourished here from 1730 to 1763. He erected the 



