Newport Pagnell

Religious Census of 1851John Wesley passed through the town on a number of occasions, but there is no evidence that he ever preached there. The first chapel, in High Street, was opened in May 1815 and, with renovations in 1859, survived to celebrate its bicentenary in 2015. The Newport Pagnell Circuit was formed from Bedford Circuit in 1814. It was renamed 'Newport Pagnell and Wolverton' in 1887 and the following year the Superintendent minister moved to Wolverton, which had become part of the circuit in 1840.

The former PM chapel was in Silver Street, Marsh End. At the time of the 1851 Religious Census Wesleyan attendances were: 58 in the morning, 74 in the afternoon and 88 in the evening. The Primitive Methodist chapel had no morning service, but reported 70 in the afternoon and 90 in the evening. Methodist attendances were far outnumbered by those at the parish church and the Independent chapel.

In 1923 the Newport Pagnell Wesleyans voted unanimously against the proposed Methodist Union.

Since the formation of the new town of Milton Keynes in 1970 all the twenty village churches, whether pre-existing or newly-built, have been ecumenical . In the resulting rationalisation of buildings, the former parish churches were retained, but the last remaining Methodist chapel was recently sold.

Westbury Grange, opened in 1988, wasMHA's first specially designed and pupose-built dementia care home.

Sources
  • David M. Coleman, Newport Pagnell Methodist Church 1815-1965 (1965)
  • Jonathan Rodell, The Rise of Methodism; a study of Bedfordshire 1736-1815 (2014)

Category: Place
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