Oakenshaw Wesleyan Methodist Chapel

Located at Green Side. No longer in existence and the site is now all private housing. 

A newspaper article of the day describes the opening of this chapel:

The ancient hamlet of Oakenshaw was all astir yesterday (23 Sep 1874) in consequence of the opening of the new Wesleyan Chapel just completed there, the foundation stone of which was laid in January last.
Forty years ago a school room was erected by Miss Currer, of which the Wesleyans have had the use, and which has served them for both chapel and school until the present time.
The new life which has lately been imparted to the village by the introduction of the worsted manufacture and the opening up of building land, has been taken advantage of by the Wesleyan body, and hence the erection of the chapel.
The new edifice occupies a position adjoining the old school room on a slight elevation above the Cleckheaton Road. The site was given by Sir Mathew Wilson of Eshton Hall, lord of the manor, and includes about 1800 yards, valued at £270.
The chapel is a plain but substantial structure in the form of a parallelogram, with handsome vestibule and vestry at the entrance, and is at present seated for about 320 worshipers. Should occasion require it, a gallery can be erected for another 230 sittings. With this view, the side windows have been arranged in two tiers, the lower tier being square headed, and the upper semi-circular. A wide flight of steps gives effect to the bold semi-circular arched doorway with quaint side lights to the vestibule, and the central portion of this end of the building is carried up as a gable, with the sides hipped back. Two bold projecting buttresses give an appearance of great stability to the design. The pulpit and communion table are placed on a raised dais or platform, which is of ornate design. The rapid declivity of the ground allows of a small school room under the chapel, with a separate entrance.
The cost of the works, exclusive of the site, has been about £1900, the contractors being Messrs. Birkby, masons; G C Gamble, Joiner; J M Wilson, plumber; J Tattersall, plasterer; and J Peel, painter. The architects are Messrs. Andrews & Pepper, Bradford. Towards the cost of the building, the promoters had raised from various sources about £1300. It is hoped that at the conclusion of the present services this sum will be so far increased as to leave but a small debt upon the building.
The services commenced yesterday afternoon with a sermon preached by the Rev. W O Simpson of Bradford, to a full congregation, and about £16 was realised at the collection. In the evening the rev. gentleman gave his popular lecture on "William Dawson, the Yorkshire Preacher," when there was again a good assemblage. The services will be continued on the next two Sundays and there will be a tea party on October 10th.

Baptisms at this location are available from 1874 to 1939 and have been transcribed by the South Bradford Local History Alliance. Click on the button below to take you to their website. There are also some baptisms dating back to 1837 recorded in the "Cleckheaton Circuit" that relate to Oakenshaw residents. Although the chapel wasn't built until 1874, a local meeting house or school room had been used prior to this time. A separate button for these baptisms has been added.

There are no known marriages or burials performed at this location.