On the first of his six visits, in 1757, John Wesley is thought to have preached at the Bull Post on what is now the Parade. The first preaching house opened in 1776 and was replaced in 1794 by a larger building off Dean Street. The first Sunday School in Cornwall was begun here by Dr. Thomas Coke in 1803 and the Liskeard Circuit was formed in 1809. A new chapel in Barn Street, opened in 1841 was destroyed by arsonists in 1845, but two young men, Henry Lucas and Dr. Andrew Hingston, initiated a subscription list by giving their total savings of £20 and £18 and the present 'Wesley' Church opened on the same site the following year.
There was also a strong Liskeard BC Circuit, and WMA/UMFC, PM and WR circuits. Liskeard 'Greenbank' (WMA, 1838) was built by means of the issue of £1 shares.North Hill Circuit, formed in 1868, is now part of the Liskeard Circuit and includes Altarnun chapel with its Isbel associations.
John Wesley's Journal:
October 1757: 'We rode to Liskeard, I think one of the largest and pleasantest towns in Cornwall. I preached about the middle of the town, in a broad, convenient place. No person made any noise at all. At six in the morning I had nearly the same congregation. Afterwards I examined the society, and was agreeably surprised to hear that every one of them had found peace with God;and (what was still more remarkable) that none of them had left their first love; that at this day not one is in darkness!'
September 1775: 'About eleven I preached in the town-hall at Liskeard to a large and serious congregation.'
September 1787: 'I did not design to preach at Liskeard, but finding a few people gathered together, I gave them a short discourse…'
Entry written by: TS
Category: Place
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