Wesleyan Methodists

There were Methodist meetings held around 1806 in a cottage in the passage between Warwich Street and Riley’s court. When the cottage became too small for the congregation they moved to two cottages in Harral’s Court, Drury Lane. At this location the Methodists suffered much persecution. Nevertheless, the Society prospered and in 1823 was able to build a chapel in Chapel Street. It was enlarged in 1841 to hold 500 people. The Rugby Circuit was formed from Daventry in 1860. On 29 May 1868 a procession of the Wesleyan Day and Sunday schools teachers and children paraded to the site of the new chapel in Market Place to witness the laying of the foundation stone by William M’Arthur, the Sheriff of London and Middlesex. The platform party in the evening included Rev. Frederick Temple (1821-1902) headmaster of Rugby School and future Archbishop of Canterbury. The new chapel was opened on Thursday 15 April 1869 and contibnued in use until its replacement by the Methodist Church Centre, Russelsheim Way, opened on 28 January 1984.

Cambridge Street Mission Chapel

On Tuesday 26 June 26 1883 six memorial stones were laid for the Wesleyan Mission Church in Cambridge Street. The Mission Hall was opened on 3 October 1883. Later the Mission Hall was shared with the Elim Pentecostal church and in August 1985 the Methodist Mission closed and the Elim Pentecostal Church took possession of the Mission Hall as their church.

Primitive Methodists

On 20 July 1800 Mr T. Shaw, a Primitive Methodist preacher, unfurled a banner near the Southam Road Infirmary and preached to around 100 listeners. The preacher was verbally attacked by Mr Spencer a local farmer. The police were called and Mr Shaw was put in the local lock-up-house. He was brought before the magistrates and eventually released. Mr Shaw was threatened with a ducking in the local brook if he preached in the area again. Around 1815 John Flavell (1764-1820) of the old Forge in Newbold-on-Avon invited Primitive Methodist preachers to preach from the horse mounting block at his forge. On John’s death his wayward son William (1797-1888) was converted and continued his father’s mission work by moving to Rugby and preaching in the surrounding area. William and his son Henry were placed on the Circuit Plan. The preachers occasionally used the London to Birmingham railway waiting room at Rugby. The first chapel in Rugby was built in 1841 on the corner of Queen Street and Russell Street. It was twice enlarged. Memorial stones were laid on 27 August 1877 in Railway Terrace for a 450 seat chapel. The chapel was opened in December 1877 and the Queen Street / Rusell Street premises were put up for sale. In 1912 the congregation joined other Rugby Free Churches and formed the Rugby Brotherhood which met on Sunday afternoons. The Brotherhood had around 400 members.The final services of Railway Terrace Methodist Church were on 30 August 1964 and the congregation was transferred to Market Place Methodist Church. In September 1967 the Rugby Evangelical Free Church bought the chapel and on 7 October 1967 they re-opened the chapel for worship. It is now known as The Terrace Church.

Entry written by: DHR
Category: Place
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