Article No.36

Dean (Raunds Circuit)

The main road—the old turnpike road—which passes with a sharp bend from Kimbolton, touching three counties in its sweep, after skirting Tilbrook on its right, sends a little offshoot down to Dean on its left; and further on, just near its elbow, down another sleepy hollow, is a short spur leading to Hargrave, whence runs a wellnigh straight six-miles road to Higham Ferrers.

Dean (or rather the Deans, as we shall presently observe) is situate six miles east from Higham Ferrers and three-and-a-half from Kimbolton. It is in the county of Bedford and on the borders of Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire.

The population of Dean in 1801 was 485 (82 houses, 84 families); 1831, 645; 1901, 440. There are two Deans, known variously as Upper or Church Dean and Lower, Nether, or Chapel Dean, the two villages lying about a mile apart, idyllic rustic spots remote from the busy haunts of men.

Only Lower Dean from its associations possesses any interest for Methodists of the Higham Ferrers and Raunds Circuits, and especially bccause it was the home of brave Isaac Dawson, who for more than half-a-century of arduous daily toil preached the Word in season and out of season on the Lord's day in the face of great opposition and peril.

Dean is one of the oldest of the Societies in the two circuits. It figures in the preachers' plan of 1814, but it is evident it existed several years earlier. It is one of the 17 places in 1828.

Mrs. Dawson, wife of Samuel Dawson, says: "I have heard my husband say the people worshipped in a cottage at the bottom of the garden in which the chapel now stands." The cottage was removed bodily to its present position alongside the chapel, and there it stands to-day and in the occupation of Mr. Fred Dickens, the chapel keeper.

In the course of an interesting interview Mr. Jabez Dawson, uncle of Sir. Samuel Dawson, said:

"I was 78 last May and am the only surviving son of Isaac Dawson. They raised the old chapel on rollers and got horses and drew it to its present site.

"When I was a boy there was no other chapel nearer than Kimbolton. People were then ten times more eager to hear the Word of God. I have seen trails of people coming from Upper Dean, Shelton, Covington, and Tilbrook. Folks are not half as lively as they used to be. We had Sunday school morning, and afternoon preaching, and five o'clock prayer meeting, and preaching at six o'clock. The People then really enjoyed their religion. Some of the roughest characters in this place would come out of the chapel with tears trickling down their cheeks.

"I remember some old women sitting on the forms; they would burst out singing:

'O ye young, ye gay, ye proud, You must die and wear the shroud: Time will rob you of your bloom Death will drag you to the tomb; Then you'll cry and want to be Happy in eternity.'

"This would be when the people were coming out after the service. I used to wonder what they would sing us out with. A man of the name of Chapman used to come out from Shelton to help us to sing and he would be before the old women sometimes and would strike out singing something.

"The Sunday afternoon prayer meeting after tea, at five o'clock, was held sometimes in one cottage and sometimes in another.

"Two pews in the present chapel were in the old chapel; it was a chapel, not a cottage. Mr. Moore had it built.

"I well remember Mr. Gostick; he was reckoned a good preacher."

Here old Mrs. Dawson broke in with: "The old preachers used to preach so you could hear them; they would frit people to death now. I like the old preachers, I do."

Continuing, Mr. Dawson said: "Old Mr. Gostick startled the people one Sunday afternoon; his text was 'Three Thou's.' He said 'I dare say you think the old stick has got nothing to say.' He did preach a sermon! The old people said they never heard such a sermon.

''The chapel used to be crowded; it would not hold the people. Then they put in the gallery, and then it would be filled. I remember seeing Mr. Samuel Wesley; he came once a month, and Mr. Brown did the same. There was no other chapel or meeting anywhere near. When the ministers came the chapel would he crowded, even two men in the pulpit with the minister, and crowding the stairs.

"When old Mr. Gostick preached the school sermons the chapel and yard were crowded; the people, nearly crowded to death. I have seen them wiping the sweat off."

There is a tablet on the front of the chapel to the memory of the wife of Mr. Moore, who built the first chapel. It reads: "In memory of Mary, wife of William Moore, who departed this life December 4, 1818, aged 57 years." The verse underneath is undecipherable.