A Primitive Methodist Chapel was erected on Elliot Road (now Tukapa Street) in 1853 on land donated by Mr Peter Elliot (Taranaki Herald 17 August 1853). His quarter acre section was matched by another from Mr. J. Dingle, together with a small portion of Crown Land, to complete the churchyard.
Rack Plan 73 (cropped portion) shows the location of the chapel in the churchyard, part of section 54, Grey District.
The original church was replaced by a new one in 1858. Tenders were called in September 1858, and the first service in the new chapel was conducted on 2 January, 1859.
The Taranaki Herald advertised regular Methodist services at "Hurdon" up until December 1874. The chapel was then moved to Inglewood about 1875.
The first burial was John Looney in 1860. Although the cemetery was closed for public use for many years it has been re-opened.
The memorial gate was erected in 1983, generously paid for by the Cowling family.
Related items:
Rack Plan 73 ICS Cadastral Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Taranaki DP3781 Sheet 1 ICS Cadastral Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Grave Discovered (Taranaki Daily News 14 November 1957)
Grave concern (Taranaki Herald 30 September 1971)
Early Settlers to finally have headstones (Daily News 5 November 1999)
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