Leighton Buzzard is a market town in the South-Western corner of Bedfordshire. The Bedford Circuit Book records the first society in the town in 1801 led by Samuel Copleston. Samuel's father had been the curate in Luton when John Wesley preached in the church there. The Leighton Buzzard society grew rapidly; a chapel was built on Hockliffe Street in 1804 and a separate Leighton Buzzard Circuit was formed in 1812. The chapel was extended twice, but it was still found to be insufficient for the congregation's needs and a huge new chapel was completed in 1865 further along Hockliffe Street, capable of seating 1,500 people, together with a large Sunday School.

Meanwhile several attempts were made by the Primitive Methodists to gain a presence in the town with regular preaching in 1837 and in the early 1840s. However it was not until the later 1840s that a local society was recorded. A chapel was built in Mill Road in 1851 and a new Circuit formed based on Leighton Buzzard in 1862. In 1870 the original chapel was replaced with a much larger one capable of seating 400. This building was plagued with problems and eventually burnt down in 1889. This was a huge set-back for the 'Prims', but they were to secure land to build a new chapel on North Street in 1890.

This building was much extended after the three Methodist congregations in the town (the Wesleyans, the Prims and the Atterbury Mission which had commenced on Vandyke Road in 1903) came together in 1960 to form Trinity Methodist Church.

William Piggott (who was stationed at Leighton Buzzard twice in the 19th century and who made his home there) and Robert Featherstone Wearmouth are two of the better-known ministers.

Entry written by: CMe
Category: Place
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