'Wesleyan Methodists

Although John Wesley traversed the area in the 1760s, the first recorded Methodist worship was an open-air service under the tree in the Causeway in 1823. In 1824 the Society bought the old seed house in Church Street and converted it into a chapel. In 1852 James Amos Ashwell (1813-1899) moved to Stortford Park farm. James and his family joined the society and soon sponsored the vision for a new chapel. Eventually Ashwell secured a site for a new chapel and donated money to the building fund. The foundation stone for a new chapel was laid on 15 June 1866 by William W. Pocock, Esq., of London. On Wednesday 5 December 1866 the new chapel in South Street, seating 220, was opened, with an additional iron building as a Sunday school. A legacy from James Amos Ashwell was used to start a fund for a new chapel, with contributions from other family members, and on 11 June 1902 the foundation stones were laid for the new church, designed by Josiah Gunton and with seating capacity for 580 people, a few yards from the existing chapel. The iron building behind the old chapel was moved to the new site and replaced by a brick building in March 1927. On Saturday 4 September 1993 the church was reopened after extensive restoration by Mrs Dolly King (aged 93) the oldest member and Miss Jane Holman (aged 15) the youngest member of the church.

There was a Primitive Methodist presence in the town as least from 1869, but further information is sparse.

Entry written by: DHR
Category: Place
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