Methodist Church

The Wesleyan Methodist Church

The Methodist Church was a connexional church, that is, it was part of a wider, formal, national-level organisation (unlike the Baptist Church, where each chapel or small association was independent). At the head of the church was the Conference, led by a president who was elected annually or thereabouts. This was the governing body. England was divided into Districts, with a district leader, and each was made up of a number of circuits. The circuit was a group of local churches served by a team of ordained ministers and lay people under the leadership of a superintendent. The fundamental structure of the church was based on the local chapels, run by their own church council chaired by a minister from the circuit, with a leadership group of elected lay stewards. At Wymeswold, there were four or five society stewards.

 There were also trustees of the Wesleyan chapel, a committee of fourteen or fifteen, mainly farmers and craftsmen, mostly from Wymeswold but some from surrounding villages as well. The trustees were responsible for making the financial and property decisions about the chapel. The first trustees for Wymeswold’s Wesleyan Church were William Winfield, stone cutter of Wymeswold; John Winfield, land surveyor of Wymeswold; John Yeomans, the elder, farmer, Burton; John Hopwell, farmer of Wymeswold; William Wootton the elder, bricklayer of Wymeswold; William Wootton the younger, bricklayer of Wymeswold; John Dexter, tailor of Wymeswold; John Blunt, yeoman of Burton.

Within the church, the members were organised into small prayer and Bible study groups called classes, for spiritual development and oversight. Each had a leader, and attendance was important. Acceptance as a member could be dependent on their behaviour outside of church.

From 1802, Wymeswold was part of the Loughborough circuit. In 1808, the circuit had three ministers with 30 preaching places. Wymeswold would see their minister during his weekday visit and once a quarter he would meet the classes to issue their membership tickets or to refuse them if there was anything remiss in their behaviour. A membership return for Wymeswold of 1810 lists 47 people in full membership (20 men, 27 women) and there were probably others who attended services who were not full members. The three class leaders were William Winfield, John Winfield and John Hallam. They gave £1 8 shillings and sixpence to Overseas Missions, £1 ten shillings to Kingswood School in Bristol and eight shillings and ninepence to the ‘Yearly Collection’ i.e. Connexion Funds.

In 1827, the congregation decided to improve and enlarge the chapel constructed in 1801 as numbers were growing. In 1829 a membership return recorded 100 Wesleyan Methodists. The Chapel Trust was renewed in 1828, with only two continuing from the previous Trust: Jeremiah Johnson, maltster; William Kirk, grocer, class leader and local preacher; Thomas Hallam; Joseph Sheppard, farmer; David Ferriman, painter; John Miller, glazier; and William Winfield the younger, school master. There were also three Loughborough Methodist Trustees, Coles Tomlinson, draper, circuit steward; William Rowland Peck, grocer; Joseph Barber, cotton seller and a Nottingham Methodist, Richard Kirk, druggist.

The Building of a ‘New’ Chapel

Numbers continued to grow and in December 1835, the Methodists purchased from William Clarke a cottage for £66, in order to provide the chapel with a vestry and ‘appendages’. In May 1848, two pieces of adjacent land were bought from Phoebe Winfield, widow of William Winfield, for £8 2 shillings and sixpence and conveyed to the trustees for £10 and eleven shillings. The conveyance states that a new chapel was ‘being erected on part’ of this land and was built at a cost of £500. The new chapel was actually opened in 1845, before the sale went through. The chapel could accommodate ‘200 free sittings’ that is, seats for which subscriptions did not have to be paid, in addition to those which were rented out to paying members. The membership at this point was 117. The old chapel, which is sited behind the current Methodist church, became the Sunday School. This is probably the oldest surviving chapel building in the Loughborough circuit.

A 1851 religious census returned by Joseph Sheppard (a steward, and a farmer) recorded 125 worshippers present at a morning service, and another 130 in the evening. 90 children were present at the Sunday School. Although the chapel was thought capable of holding 321 people in 1873, its capacity probably declined as people required more room and by 1940, its official seating was 140, rising to 184 in 1970. In the19th century until after the Second World War, regular finance was raised by pew or seat rents. After the high membership of was at 117 at the time the new chapel was opened in 1845, it declined to 55 in 1853, 48 in 1856, and 51 in 1875.  It then remained around that level for the next one hundred years.

For much of the period 1850 to 1990, the chapel underwent repair and renovation rather than rebuilding or refurbishment. Tenders were invited and work was carried out in 1911 by E. Clarke of Melton Mowbray, for £288. This involved extensive renovation to the chapel, new windows, reseating, alteration of the pulpit and choir stalls, a new vestry, cleaning and redecorating. The final cost, including architect’s and other fees, was £363, two shillings and sixpence. Payment required a bank loan of £100, which took several years to pay off.

Installation of heating and lighting were major projects. In October 1902, it was decided to improve the heating in the chapel. It was proposed that the ‘hot water system’ (probably convection radiators) be adopted and that Mr J. Perkins’s tender for £53, be accepted. The use of a coal-fired boiler to heat water to warm the building, was cleaner, safer, and ‘modern’ and required the building of a boiler house on the chapel. In 1926, a new boiler was commissioned for £32; it was now an essential facility. From 1931, the Methodist trustees discussed the electrification of the chapel and in 1933, it was decided to have the chapel wired for lighting. Electric lights were installed in the Sunday school in 1934 and in 1936, the organ, which had been installed in 1922, received an electric blower. Funds were raised to add toilets to the chapel in the 1950s.

From the 1950s, the Methodist chapel continued to be active, socially and in its worship. But as with many rural denominations, numbers declined. In 1956, Wymeswold had 38 members and the circuit had four full time ministers and 43 local preachers. In 1964, membership was 40; in 1972 it was 33, and in 1980 it was 27. From 1975, the Three W’s, Wymeswold, Wysall and Willoughby, formed an association to share a minister. In 1985, it was agreed that the churches would become one society with one church council, and the chapel at Willoughby was closed. Wymeswold retains its council and stewards, and its place in the Loughborough circuit.

In 1990-91 the Methodist Chapel underwent a major renovation. Inside, the seating gallery was converted into an upstairs meeting room with an attached kitchen. The downstairs pews were removed and replaced with comfortable, moveable chairs, to make a more flexible worship space. The prominent pulpit and organ were removed, and the panelled dais end was reconfigured. A downstairs kitchenette and toilets were also added. The renewed chapel was rededicated at a special service held on 30 November 1991. At this time the Methodist School Rooms were sold and converted to a private house. The 150^th anniversary of the chapel was held in 1995.

Being a Methodist in Wymeswold

The role of women grew and from 1911, the chapel trustees have included women. The stewards were all men until the 1930s, but the Second World War saw the increasing inclusion of women among the leadership. There were also two ‘poor stewards’ to collect and distribute relief which from the late 1920s, included women. From the late 1920s, there was also a missionary secretary, almost always a woman.

The worship of Wymeswold Methodists was and remains organised into formal and informal worship, in which the two sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s supper, are central. Admission to the Christian community is by baptism, of infants or adults. It is by diffusion, and small, portable fonts that can be placed at the front of the worship space during the ceremony, are used. Worship services are based on prayer, Bible reading and sermons, and holy communion. In his teachings and practice, the founder John Wesley encouraged frequent communion, monthly or preferably, weekly. In 1920, the family and friends of Jesse Mills gave an individual communion service in his memory..

Methodism has a great and lively musical tradition. Charles Wesley was a prolific writer of hymns, and the theology of the church was taught and encouraged by lively group singing in worship. Choirs and instruments were common. At Wymeswold, there was a choir until recent times. It had an active social life, with an annual tea and sometimes an outing. While stringed instruments were probably used in the early 19^th century, by the later part of the century, a harmonium was used. A new pipe organ was installed in 1922 and a piano was given in 1977, in memory of Mrs Spencer.

The Wesley Methodist chapel had a flourishing Sunday School, with teachers under a superintendent. In 1906 there were 19 teachers and 78 scholars. In 1958, there were 40 scholars in the school. There was an annual anniversary of the school each June; a special Sunday service had a guest preacher and music by the children, and on the Monday, (until it was discontinued in 1913), there was a procession through the village led by a harmonium on a cart, followed by the children and adults. Games were organised on the Hall Field and there was a tea for children and the public, an event that continued until the Second World War. In 1906 there were 170 participants, not including the children, followed by a tea. Prizes were given in an annual ceremony, traditionally in January, followed by a tea. When children left the school, aged 13 or 14, they were given a Bible. In 1928, it was decided to have a Christmas tree and presents at the annual prize giving. The children also received an orange each. This tradition continued into the 1960s.

There was an annual Sunday School outing in the summer. Before 1914, the usual destination was the Charnwood Forest, and travel was by horse-drawn wagons. After a break during the First World War, in 1919 the chapel resumed its custom of an outing to Hangingstone Rocks, Woodhouse Eaves, ‘the local farmers and friends lending their vehicles for the occasion’, and they went again in 1920 and 1921. In 1923, an outing to Longcliffe (Nanpantan) was proposed, and enquiries were made about the cost of two motorised charabancs. It was agreed that Mr Squires would provide the outing and that adults should pay 4/6 inclusive of transport and food for the day.

Then, in 1931 the outing was to Wicksteed Park. After that, Mablethorpe and Skegness became popular. Following a six-year suspension of travel during the Second World War, trips resumed in 1946, and coach outings continued to be popular into the 1980s. The favourite destination was Skegness, followed by Mablethorpe, Wicksteed Park, Drayton Manor, Alton Towers and Hunstanton. By the 1980s, however, the excitement of an annual coach visit waned.

Details of the Methodist Chapel Building (constructed 1845)

The Chapel Exterior

Wymeswold Wesleyan Chapel dates to 1845 and is Grade II listed. The listing entry describes the exterior as follows:

Decorative brickwork. Wide and flat gable to street of 3 bays and 2 storeys with gable pedimented lightly with stone coping etc. Central round arched double doorway with fanlight, stuccoed flat arched heads to casement windows. Brickwork forms effect of pilaster strips by grouping yellow bricks together at intervals in an otherwise chequered pattern. Side elevations have 2 tall segmental headed windows, and a lower one to the south and above these, 3 blocked windows with flat arched stuccoed heads. To rear, a round arched light with gauged brick head. Dated and identified in plaque in front gable wall. [https://live.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1074570?section=official-list-entry]

There is a small graveyard to the West of the chapel, where members of the Holwell family are buried. There are two or three slate headstones with dated inscriptions.

The Chapel Interior

Ceiling: A mid-19^th century moulded ceiling, which was restored in 1990-1.

Stained Glass Windows: There are two stained glass windows on the North wall, above the altar. They were erected to celebrate the centenary year of the church 1845-1945.

Left hand side (West): Jesus as Good Shepherd. Inscription ‘There shall be one fold and one shepherd’.

Right hand side (East): Jesus with a chalice. Inscription ‘This do in remembrance of me’.

Baptismal Font: The font is made of ceramic and wood. It was previously in the Methodist Church of Burton-on-the-Wolds and given to Wymeswold Church, after Burton chapel closed.

Communion Vessels: Given in 1920 by the family and friends of Jesse Mills, as a memorial for his death during the First World War.

Memorials

Hymn Board: presented by two members of the Clarke family (Trevor and Kathleen), in memory of their father Samuel, mother Sarah and brother John. Undated.

Brass wall plaque dedicating a cross: to Alfred Mills (1891-1974), lifelong member of the church, society and chapel steward.

First World War Memorial Plaque: In 1920, a memorial table was erected to commemorate those who fell in the Great War. It is made of bronze with a foliated border and lists the names of 28 men.

Banner and Photograph: banner showing a dove of peace, made of quilted textile by Miss Peggy Mills (1920-2016), commemorated by the hanging.

Primitive Methodists

Methodism in the 19th century was associated with various internal rifts over theology, organisation and practice. The largest of the breakaway groups became Primitive Methodism, which emerged around 1810 as a revivalist movement within Methodism. Its leaders, such as Hugh Bourne, led mass open air meetings and other activities associated with John Wesley’s practice. The revivalists were active in the newly industrialising regions of the Midlands, beginning in the Potteries of Staffordshire. In 1811, Bourne and his associates were excluded from the Wesleyan congregation and formed their own, Primitive, branch of Methodism.  

The first Primitive Methodist meeting in Wymeswold was held on 7 May 1818, in the open air, led by John Harrison. How soon a permanent group of Primitives was established in the village is unknown, but the Nottingham Review of 18 December 1829 reported that a chapel was being built on land given by Mr B. Sheldon. This chapel was finished by 1830, and deeds were drawn up. A worship plan for 1839 shows the chapel held services at 2pm and 6pm, and the same in 1842.

Primitive Methodist chapels were very plain and their worship was based on prayer and praise. Services were taken by a rota of preachers. On the first Sunday of each month ‘missionary meetings’ were arranged, to be attended by both ministers (‘travelling preachers’ in the language of the Primitives) and three local preachers. These were evangelistic occasions and probably included open air witness. Members included William Winfield (living in Nottingham), Coles Tomlinson a Loughborough draper, Matthew Wildbore, corn factor, and William Hallam, farmer, both of Wymeswold.

Evangelistic effort continued. On 20 August 1837, four local preachers joined with No 1 (Primitive terminology for the superintendent minister) for a camp meeting. These day-long gatherings were an introduction from the USA and in the early years, drew crowds. But when they became a stock item in a circuit’s programme, they were just long-lasting open-air meetings with five or six preachers, plus the members and any visitors.

On 31 March 1851 Joseph Roworth, who described himself as manager of the chapel, reported that 40 adults and children had attended the afternoon service, with 20 attending in the evening. The seating accommodation was given as 300. Joseph Roworth farmed 116 acres, and lived in Brook Street, Wymeswold.

There were some Wymeswold Primitive Methodist local preachers; W. Morely until 1855; S. Clarke 1855-69; H. Morley 1858-69. T. Daft who was society steward at Walton; and W. Bassford are examples.

In the mid-1860s the chapel was refurbished, and the re-opening service in 1867 was taken by a leading figure in the Connexion, Miss Lee. But the 1870’s saw a fluctuation in the number of services. The April to July worship plan for 1874 had all the services for the quarter taken by one local preacher, C. Shaw of Wood Street, Loughborough. In the next quarter, Wymeswold had its full quota of services and preachers. In the first quarter of 1875 it had only one service per Sunday and there was a statement that special attention was to be paid to re-missioning Wymeswold in the spring. By mid-1877 no services were planned at Wymeswold and along with a number of other chapels, Wymeswold became part of the Sileby circuit in 1879.

In 1894, by which time none of the Trustees was from the village, the chapel was sold to John Hallam for £55. The building eventually became a cheese factory, before demolition in 1989 to make way for sheltered accommodation.