The First Trust Deed 

The Worcestershire County Archive contains a book which has copies of the Trust Deeds of Methodist Societies in the Redditch Circuit.  Studley’s is dated 26th August 1808, when it was part of Bromsgrove Circuit.  19 Trustees are listed, starting with John Bennett, needlemaker, Thos. Blundell, needlemaker, John Chatterley, joiner, William Shayler, gardener and William Davies, labourer, all of Studley.

An Indenture between John Hill of Great Coughton, wheelwright, and the Trustees records the sale of a plot of land of length 12½ yards and width 10 yards 6 inches or thereabouts for the sum of 10 shillings “for the purpose of erecting a Chapel or place of religious worship”.

The Trustees were given power to raise up to £150 for completing, repairing, or enlarging the Chapel.

New Trustees were nominated to replace those who had died in an amendment to the Deed dated 16th April 1833. The records contain several subsequent Deeds up to 1967, recording those who had died or wished to be relieved of their duties, together with their replacements.