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SO7831 : The oldest Mormon Chapel in the world, Gadfield Elm SO7831 : Gadfield Elm chapel, from the picnic and camping area SO7831 : Gadfield Elm Chapel SO7831 : Entrance hall, display, Gadfield Elm chapel
The chapel was built in 1836 by the United Brethren, a small break-off group from the Primitive Methodists. They had purchased the land for £25.

In 1840, Wilford Woodruff, a missionary and Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter-day Saints, met leaders of the United Brethren in the area. In a few months, nearly all of the 600 members accepted Elder Woodruff's message and were baptised. After their conversions the United Brethren gave the chapel to Elder Woodruff as a meeting place.

For the next two years a number of Latter-day Saints church leaders preached here, including Brigham Young who later became the second President of the Church.

The chapel was then sold in 1842 to finance the immigration of the new Latter-day Saints to the United States. The building was used for several purposes over the years - it was a barn for a while - and eventually fell into disrepair.

So, although proclaimed as the oldest Mormon Chapel still standing, it was not built as such and was only so used for about two years in the mid nineteenth century.

In 1994 a group of local Latter-day Saints purchased the property and restored the building. It was then deeded back to The Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter-day Saints in May 2004.
(Text largely from nearby information board and leaflet)