Moor Lane

Known to many Downley people previously by the local name ‘Bugs Alley’

The Weslyan Church was built in 1824 and extended by stages in 1838 and in 1847/8. The Sunday School building adjacent to the tower was erected in 1861 as a Day School – the first school in Downley.

**1899**
*The Chapel, Tower and School Room of the Downley Weslyan Church*

The plaque above the chapel reads ‘WESLEYAN Chapel 1824’.

The first Post Office in Downley with a plaque ‘Diamond Cottage 1853’ set in a diamond-shaped feature. Above the doorway is a sign ‘Thos Martin, Grocer, Dealer in Tobacco’, and another ‘Downley Post Office’. The older couple standing in the doorway are Thomas Martin and his wife Emma, who delivered the post. The younger woman is probably their daughter Gladys, who was a teacher at Downley school. Thomas Martin was also a chairmaker at the Piddington factory of Benjamin North, and a Governor of Downley school.

**1993**
*Looking west along Moor Lane to the junction with Plomer Green Lane*

The rear of Moor Lane Cottage can be seen on the left. In 1939 Moor Lane Cottage was the home of Mr Michael and Mrs Jessie Milone who ran it as a guest house.

During the morning service at Downley Methodist Church on Sunday, November 1st a fire broke out in a storage corridor adjacent to the schoolroom. It spread rapidly into the roof space and carried into the church roof, causing extensive damage

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