An Anglican visitation return of 1764 refers to a small group of 'Methodist dissenters', meeting in a cottage at Belle Isle belonging to George Pickup, a Lancashire weaver who had taken over his brother's stocking-weaving business. Two local preachers were persuaded to come and preach there. When the cottage became too small, a barn on Annesley Road was taken. In 1797 the society defected to the MNC. The work prospered and the barn was replaced by a substantial chapel, enlarged in 1828. Four members went into the MNC ministry, including Dr. Charles Dewick Ward, President of the 1876 Conference. In 1873 the society moved to a more central chapel opposite the market place.

The WM society, weakened by the loss of members in 1797, did not manage to build a chapel until 1846. This was on Chapel Street. In 1880 they built an impressive church on Watnall Road and their old chapel was sold to the Wesleyan Reformers in 1882.The Primitive Methodists are first mentioned in 1816, meeting first in the clubroom of the Seven Stars inn and in cottages, then by 1839 in a barn, then in a room and finally building a chapel on Watnall Road in 1859. Meanwhile, in 1839, during the superintendency of the Rev. George Herod, the PM society was weakened by a secession of members to the Original Methodists. In due course the PMs recovered and in 1896 built a more substantial chapel on the same road.

In 1963 four Methodist causes amalgamated, moving to the former MNC chapel in the centre of the town. This was demolished in 1989 and replaced by the present church . Two causes remained outside this union: Butler's Hill at East Side continued as a separate cause until it closed in 1970 and Peveril Street, launched as a UMFC mission in 1876.

Entry written by: DMG
Category: Place
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