KEINTON MANDEVILLE

Keinton Mandeville Methodist Church is one of the smaller village chapels in the Circuit but with a committed group of worshippers. We look forward to giving you a warm welcome when you visit our church.

The commitment to youth continues through activities that take place at the church:
A Youth Club is run on a Friday evening (from 7:30pm) during school terms
with other elements of the local community services by:
Mothers & Toddlers, Irving Club (over 60’s), Monthly Coffee Mornings
The church rooms are also available for hire
• All of the above activities give the church an important role to play in the local community.
Members of the church also attend a monthly Bible Study, which is held jointly with Somerton Methodist Church and attracts people from other denominations.

Keinton Mandeville is situated on the B3153, between Somerton and Castle Cary. It has close associations with the neighbouring villages of Barton St. David, Lydford and Babcary – all of which fall within the catchment area for Keinton’s Primary School. The villages of Charlton Adam, Charlton Mackrell, Butleigh and Baltonsborough lie slightly further away. Some of the other villages, such as Lydford and Baltonsborough, used to have Methodist Churches; with Keinton the only Methodist village chapel left in the immediate vicinity. Members of the congregation are drawn from this area, with some commuting in from Street and Glastonbury, which are slightly further away.

Keinton Mandeville Methodist Church dates back to 1843; with the 150th anniversary celebrated in 1993.
In 1843, Keinton - or 'Kington' as it was then called - had a population of about 600 people in just over 100 dwellings; where the population/dwellings had more than doubled in the previous 30 years. The growth was probably due to the expansion of the rail network, which enabled the stone from the local quarries to reach wider markets. The quarry industry, which had been in existence since at least 1698, employed about 40% of the male workers in the village. Keinton was also on the stage-coach route between London and Truro (via Barnstable), which provided passing trade for the local hostelries.