Built of handmade bricks using local clay, the Gothic Architecture of this Church,
complete with flying buttresses, is an historical landmark...
The foundation stone was laid in February 1861 by the Warden of Castlemaine Captain J.C.Bull.
After Captain Bull laid the foundation stone he was given a copy of the "Jubilee Volume" and a copy of this
and other documents are buried beneath the stone. Strangely the foundation stone which is located at the
far left of the entrance has no inscription. The red brick chapel with stone cornices was designed in the
Gothic style with a seating capacity of between 200-300 worshippers. It was believed to be the only church
on the gold fields and one of the few in Australia with flying buttresses. The buttresses supported a belfry
from which the church bell tolled to the gold miners and their families for Sabbath services. A gold fields
newspaper of the day  said at the opening of the chapel "the curves of these ornamental but necessary
appendages contrast pleasingly with the square outline of the walls.
The Jubilee Primitive Methodist Church was officially opened on June 2 1861 at a cost of 535 pounds.
On February 12,1902the last recorded minutes of the Chewton Jubilee Primitive Methodist Church
were written down and they are now held in the archives section of the Uniting Church of Australia
THE PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH WAS FOUNDED IN ENGLAND IN 1811
Not originating out of secession or division, but arose in connection with, but for the most part outside the
Wesleyan Methodist  Church. It developed out of earlier unofficial Methodist movements, primarily in 1800
when Hugh Bourne began an important evangelistic movement near Mow Cop, Staffordshire. Bourne was
greatly influenced by American Methodist Lorenzo Dow, who in 1807 introduced the "Camp Meeting" into
English Methodism at Mow Cop. All day open air meetings were held to reach those not attracted to the
ordinary  work of the church.
The camp meetings were continued mainly by Hugh Bourne who was finally expelled from the Wesleyan
conference in 1808. In 1810 a new community of "Camp Meeting Methodists" was formed and in the same
year William Clowes who had carried Bourne's earlier work to Tunstall, was also expelled from the
Methodist church. In 1811 the two bodies united under the name Primitive Methodists. The denomination
took its name from a speech by John Wesley in 1790 in the Chester Circuit when he declared that he was a
"Primitive Methodist". Primitive Methodists were also known as "RANTERS". (The word Ranter was first
associated with English potter, William Clowes, one of the founders of the
Primitive Methodist Church in 1811).
The Primitive Methodists conducted evangelistic meetings, founding missions in Australia and
New Zealand in 1843.
The first minister, Henry Woodward arrived in Victoria, Australia,  in August 1848. The first class meeting
was held at Mr. Lord's residence in Greeves Street, Fitzroy  Melbourne Australia on January 14.1849.
MOUNT ALEXANDER GOLD FIELDS ,CENTRAL VICTORIA
On January 1, 1902  the Primitive Methodists separated from England and became
part of the Methodist Union.
By the early part of 1854 several members and preachers had gone to the Mount Alexander gold fields.
Forest Creek had 14 members and Campbell's Creek 11, who were all actively engaged in evangelistic
work. In April 1854 the Rev. M. Clarke visited these tent townships and on a slight hill saw a building made
of slabs and covered with canvas. In front, a large blue and white flag floated in the breeze. Inscribed on the
flag were the words "Primitive Methodist Tabernacle". Inside the building a class meeting was being held.
Mr. Clarke stayed on the gold fields for two weeks and during this time land was selected to build a church
at Campbell's Creek. A temporary structure was erected on Old Post Office Hill Chewton. In 1856 a hired
local preacher was sent to minister on the gold fields. The areas of Daisy Hill, Green Gully, Fryers Creek,
Joyce's Creek and Steel's gully were also missioned and churches built . Following a land Grant, a church
was also erected in Castlemaine.
In 1858 the Rev. Mr. Clarke returned to the area spending four years missioning Vaughn, Daylesford,
Newstead, Sandon,and other local outposts.
In 1860 a place of worship was built at Vaughn. The Jubilee church erected in Chewton in 1861
commemorates the first 50 years of Primitive Methodism.
Hence the name Jubilee Primitive Methodist Church.
Early on the Tuesday evening of December 4, 1860 a trustees meeting was held at Steel's Gully. It was
decided to "proceed forthwith" to erect a place of worship on the ground purchased from Captain Trewartha
for 37 pounds 10 shillings. The building was to have foundations of stone, walls of brick and the roof
shingled. The dimensions of the building were to be 30'x40' with walls 14' high.
There was to be a porch with an inscription stone and belfry. The 9'' thick buttressed walls were to be
combined with Gothic windows. On December 15 the previous minutes were altered. The building was
now to be 28'x36' built of brick instead of stone if approved by the architect.
Early on the Tuesday evening of December 4, 1860 a trustees meeting was held at Steel's Gully. It was
decided to "proceed forthwith" to erect a place of worship on the ground purchased from Captain Trewartha
for 37 pounds 10 shillings. The building was to have foundations of stone, walls of brick and the roof
shingled. The dimensions of the building were to be 30'x40' with walls 14' high.
There was to be a porch with an inscription stone and belfry. The 9'' thick buttressed walls were to be
combined with Gothic windows. On December 15 the previous minutes were altered. The building was
now to be 28'x36' built of brick instead of stone if approved by the architect.