Lower Turners Marsh School/Church

In the year 1884, the Wesleyan Methodist congregation convened at the residence of Mr. John Freeman in Lower Turners Marsh. During this gathering, a momentous decision was reached: the establishment of a combined Wesleyan church and school, intended to serve both the spiritual and educational needs of the community.

The opening of the Wesleyan Chapel was advertised in the Launceston Daily Telegraph on the 24th May 1886.

The structure, measuring 35 feet in length and 20 feet in width, was built upon robust stone or slate foundations and crowned with a slate roof (from the Bangor Slate Quarry Co) reflecting the durable and practical construction methods of the period. The Wesleyan congregation demonstrated a fervent zeal for ecclesiastical construction in the region. Not far from their endeavors stood an already suitable structure upon Rowley's Hill, in the vicinity of Turners Marsh.

In October of 1887, a little more than a year after the initial developments, an advertisement appeared on behalf of W.T. Bell and Co., announcing the sale of a property owned by Mr. John Freeman. The estate, comprising 15 acres and 38 perches, was located at Turner’s Marsh, some 18 miles from the town. Notably, the land featured a weatherboard structure with shingled roofing, once serving as a Wesleyan Chapel. This modest building, measuring 24 by 20 feet, stood as a relic of the area’s spiritual past.

According to the recollections of Mr. R.V. Colgrave of Colgrave Coches, a later school also used as a church was constructed in the vicinity around the year 1910.

Half an acre of land had been set aside by the government for the establishment of a school at the corner of Pipers River Road and Lewis Road. A structure from the Lefroy Grammar School was relocated by the Warren family from 'The Glen,' transported on a wooden-wheeled wagon drawn by 14 bullocks. It featured a modest porch over the entrance at its eastern corner, while a centrally positioned fireplace dominated the southern end, serving as both a practical and architectural focal point.

The building functioned as both a school and a church continuously until the closure of the school in February 1947. Thereafter, it continued to serve the community as a place of worship until the early 1960s. Following this period, it stood unused for several years before being leased by a local farmer for use as a barn. Tragically, after enduring multiple arson attacks, the building was ultimately destroyed by fire.