Market Drayton is an historic market town in North Shropshire, close to the Staffordshire and Cheshire borders and with good communications by road, river and canal.

Wesleyans

Around 1799 the Methodists met in houses in Tinkers Lane and Ranters Gullet. In 1808 the Wesleyans built a chapel on land between Keelings Lane (Salisbury Road) and Street Land (Shrewsbury Road), with an extension added in 1817 and a gallery in 1842. In 1864-65 a new chapel was built, seating 400, designed in the Gothic style in brick with stone dressings and a spire, at a cost of £1666. The old chapel continued to be use as a Sunday school, and a Wesleyan day school.

Primitive Methodist

A PM Society appeared on the 1824 Burland Circuit Plan. The first recorded Primitive Methodist chapel was opened in Ranters Gullet off Cheshire Street. It was licensed in 1826. The 1851 Religious Census reported that it had 150 seats with a congregation of 140 in the afternoon and 150 in the evening and 90 children at the Sunday school. It was replaced by Ebenezer chapel built on Frogmore Road, opened on 10 November 1867. In 1869 Market Drayton became the head of its own named Circuit.

Methodist Church

As a consequence of the severe damage caused by a tornado on Monday 23 November 1981 the former Wesleyan chapel was demolished in 1982. A new chapel was built on the site and was opened on 28 September 1985. The congregations of the former Wesleyan chapel and the former Primitive Methodist chapel united in the new building and the former Primitive Methodist chapel in Frogmore Road was then sold.

Entry written by: DHR
Category: Place
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