Englesea Brook Chapel & Museum


Englesea Brook chapel and musuem is in the delightful village of Englesea Brook in Cheshire.

The museum commemorates and preserves images, objects, books, banners, video displays and many other exhibits and artefacts from the Primitive Methodist movement which began around 1807. One of the two founders of the movement, Hugh Bourne (1772 - 1852) is buried here. Another of the movements' powerful evangelists and preachers, Thomas Russell (1806 - 1889) is also buried here.

On May 31 1807, Hugh Bourne organised the first English "Camp Meeting", an open-air all day service, on Mow Cop in North Staffordshire. As a direct result of involvement in these meetings, Bourne and co-founder William Clowes were expelled from the Wesleyan Methodists. Subsequently the new movement took the name "Primitive Methodism". The movement grew rapidly and by 1851 the Census recorded over half a million in attendance in Primitive Methodist chapels and places of worship.

Estimates of the attendance at the Centenary services at Mow Cop in 1907 vary from 60,000 to 100,000 people present. Primitive Methodism was a movement amongst working class people during the industrial revolution. The transformation of individuals, families and communities was often dramatic. Known as "Ranters" they were persecuted by mobs and gangs, they were often brought before magistrates and a number of their early preachers went to jail. The Ranters were well known for their lively singing and shouting. It was quite common for people to experience shaking, or to lie apparently motionless under the power of dynamic preaching inspired by the Holy Spirit.

We have much to learn from this significant movement of God. Please visit Englesea Brook if you have the opportunity and find out more.

Contact details:
Tel (01270) 820836
email engleseabrook-methodist-museum@supanet.com
web http://www.engleseabrook-museum.org.uk/

 

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