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Northern England sites

County Durham

BEAMISH - THE NORTH OF ENGLAND OPEN AIR MUSEUM www.beamish.org.uk
Beamish, County Durham DH9 0RG.
Tel: 0191 370 4000
Fax: 0191 370 4001 
Email: museum@beamish.org.uk
Situated in 300 acres of woodland and farmland, Beamish illustrates the way of life in the North East of England in the early 1800s and 1900s, through living history exhibits, including Wesleyan Methodist chapel.
OPEN – Winter: [Jan-3 April 2009; from Nov 2008] 10.00am-4.00pm, closed Mon and Fri. Summer: [4 April–2 Nov 2009] 10.00am-5.00pm. Last admission always 3pm. Winter visit centred on The Town and tramway only.
ADMISSION - Summer: adult, £21.00, child, £13.00, Over 60/student, £17.00. Family tickets and annual passes available. Winter: £6.00 per person. Summer group rates for parties of 15 or more.
Toilets. Parking and coach access.

NEWBIGGIN-IN-TEESDALE - METHODIST CHAPEL
Newbiggin, Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham DL12 0TY.
Contact: Mrs June Luckhurst, 4 Springwell, Ingleton, Darlington, County Durham DL2 3JJ.
Tel: 01325 730985
Believed to be the world’s oldest Methodist chapel in continuous Methodist use, from 1759. Display of Methodism and local history, including lead mining, and a Wesley pulpit.
OPEN - Any reasonable times - list of key holders next to entrance.
ADMISSION - No charge but donations welcome.
Toilet. No disabled access.

WEARDALE MUSEUM: HIGH HOUSE CHAPEL www.weardalemuseum.co.uk
Hutts, Ireshopeburn, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL13 1EY.
Contact: David Heatherington, 7 Windyside, Westgate-in-Weardale, Bishop Auckland, County Durham DL13 1NR.
Tel: 01388 517433 
Email: dtheatherington@ormail.co.uk
1760 Methodist chapel, adjacent to superlative small Museum. Wesley Room with displays of Wesley’s visits, Methodist memorabilia, a gallery recording a very early Methodist subscription library, 1870 period Weardale cottage, and other local displays. Church parties welcome for Sunday services and at other times. Talks available.
OPEN – Services every Sunday 11.00am.
Chapel and Museum 2.00pm-5.00pm Easter and Bank Holidays.
2.00pm-5.00pm Wed-Sun: 1 May-31 July and September, daily during August.
ADMISSION - Adults £2.00, children 50p.
Toilets. Nearby car parking and coach access.
 

Lancashire

MANCHESTER - JOHN RYLANDS UNIVERSITY LIBRARY (METHODIST ARCHIVES).
150 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EH.
www.library.manchester.ac.uk/specialcollections/collections/methodist
Contact: Dr. Peter Nockles or Dr. Gareth Lloyd
Tel: 0161 275 3755
Fax: 0161 273 7488
Email: peter.nockles@manchester.ac.uk
Main repository of the Connexional records of the British Methodist Church. One of the world’s richest collections of Evangelical Christian material.
OPEN - Monday 10.00am-5.15pm. Saturday 10.00am-1.00pm
ADMISSION - No charge.
Toilets available. Disabled access. Car parking nearby.

WIGAN - INDEPENDENT METHODIST RESCOURCE CENTRE www.imcgb.org.uk
Fleet Street, Pemberton, Wigan WN5 0DS.
Contact: Mr. John Dolan, Archivist
Tel: 01942 223526
Fax: 01942 227768
Email:imarchives@imcgb.org.uk
Building houses denominational offices including two archive rooms.
OPEN - By arrangement.
Toilets.  Ample car parking. Close to M6 Motorway Junction 26.
 

Newcastle upon Tyne

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE - ORPHAN HOUSE
Plaque to denote site of former Orphan House on Barratt’s shoe shop in Northumberland Street. Newcastle upon Tyne was considered as John Wesley’s northern ‘cornerstone’ in England. Wesley Square on the Quay, includes memorial obelisk (recently refurbished) to John Wesley first preaching on Tyneside. Nearby Keelmens’ Hospital which was an early Methodist base in the area.

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE - BRUNSWICK METHODIST CHURCH
Brunswick Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7BJ.
Contact: Revd Eden Fletcher
Tel: 0191 232 1692
Fax: 0191 261 7779.
Grade 2 listed building (1820). Major refurbishment in 1981. Orphan House memorabilia, portraits and display cabinet.
OPEN - Building open most days 9.30am-3.30pm. Memorabilia available to view on request, preferably by prior appointment.
ADMISSION - No charge.
Toilets. Nearby parking.
 

North Yorkshire

OSMOTHERLEY - CHAPEL
Osmotherley, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire.
Contact: Mary Priest
Tel: 01609 883497
1754 Methodist Chapel, restored. John Wesley visited Osmotherley 18 times, initially at invitation of Roman Catholic Franciscan friar. Stayed and preached at The Old Hall (now a Benedictine monastery, open daily) also preached in Parish Church, outdoors in village and later in chapel, now part of local ecumenical parish. See also Chapel of Our Lady of Mount Grace.
OPEN - Sunday service 6.30pm. Fri, Sat, Sun 25 May–24 August 9.00am–5.30pm. Other times by arrangement.
Parking in village street. Toilet in chapel. All facilities in village.

YARM - OCTAGONAL CHAPEL
Off High Street, Yarm, Stockton-on-Tees.
Oldest Methodist Octagonal chapel in the world still in use by Methodism. Built 1763.

YORK - CENTRAL METHODIST CHURCH
St. Saviourgate, York, YO1 2NQ.
Contact: Church Office.
Grade 2 Listed building, built in 1840 (refurbished 1993) as an imposing ‘Cathedral’ for Methodism. Home church of David Hill, China missionary.
OPEN - Groups by appointment.
ADMISSION - No charge. Donations welcome.
Toilets available.
 

South Yorkshire

for Epworth - see Central England

SHEFFIELD - PARADISE SQUARE
Contact: Revd Noel Irwin, Sheffield Methodist Mission, Victoria Hall, Norfolk Street, Sheffield S1 2JB.
Tel: 0114 272 1749
Email: noelblades@surefish.co.uk
John Wesley preached in Paradise Square to the largest congregation in the open air on a weekday on 15 July 1779. A commemorative plaque unveiled by film magnate J. Arthur Rank, a prominent Methodist, in 1951, commemorates the event in this lovely Georgian square which also contains plaques of other Sheffield notables. Nearby Sheffield Cathedral also has Wesley connections including his outdoor pulpit, together with the Sheffield Methodist Mission, Norfolk Street.
 

SHEFFIELD - METHODIST MISSION
Victoria Hall Methodist Church, Norfolk Street, Sheffield S1 2JB.
Contact: Revd Noel Irwin
Tel: 0114 272 1749
Email: noelblades@surefish.co.uk
The Victoria Hall, built in 1908, stands on the site of Norfolk Street Wesleyan Chapel, opened by John Wesley in 1780.
OPEN - Monday-Thursday 8.00am-9.30pm, Friday 8:00am-5:00pm, Saturday 8.00am-1:00pm.
Sunday services at 10.45am and 6.30pm.
All enquiries to General Office.
Toilets. Nearby car parking.
 

West Yorkshire

BIRSTALL - HOUSE OF JOHN NELSON
John Nelson, Yorkshire stonemason, most successful and widely known of John Wesley’s lay assistants, the ‘pioneer of Methodism in Yorkshire’, was born in Birstall in 1707. Nelson’s study still stands in the grounds of the former Methodist Church.

GOMERSAL - RED HOUSE
Contact: 01924 474926
Built in 1660, the house was regularly visited by John Wesley and he often preached here. The house is furnished as it might have been in the 1820’s.

HALIFAX - MOUNT ZION METHODIST CHURCH www.mountzionhalifax.org.uk 
Upper Brockholes. Per Lane, Ogden, Halifax HX2 8XG.
Contact: Miss Irene Cunliffe, Heathlands, 24 Old Lees Road, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 8HW.
Tel: 01422 844364
Email: irene.cunliffe@btopenworld.com
Original buildings 1773, John Wesley preached in 1774 and 1790. Cottage where Wesley stayed remains (available for retreats and conferences). Oldest surviving Methodist New Connexion chapel. Building also houses the Horace Hird Collection of Methodist Ceramics (reserve collection available for study/research). Belgian organ.
OPEN - Sunday Service at 2.45pm throughout the year. 2009 Open Days (2.00pm–4.00pm.): Sats. 20 June, 18 July, 15 August, 20 September. Heritage Open Days: 12 and 13 September (see Events list). Otherwise open by arrangement. Cottage available. Coach parties welcome (Max. 40), with prior booking.
ADMISSION - No charge but donations welcome.
Toilets. Carparking and coach access.

HEPTONSTALL - OCTAGONAL CHAPEL
Heptonstall, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.
Contact: Revd Anthony E Buglass, ‘Glen Carr’, 55, Caldene Avenue, Mytholmroyd, West Yorks., HX7 5AJ.
Tel: 01422 843203
Email: tonybuglass@fish.co.uk
Unspoilt Octagonal 1764 church in dramatic medieval and Jacobean setting. Good example of early Methodist architecture.
OPEN - Chapel open daily for visitors and prayer.
ADMISSION - No charge, donations welcome.
Toilets in village. Disabled facilities nearby.

HEPTONSTALL - PREACHER'S HOUSE
4 Northgate, Heptonstall, Nr. Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.
House where local Methodist Society first met. View from outside only.

TODMORDEN - TODMORDEN EDGE FARM
Contact: Revd Anthony E Buglass, ‘Glen Carr’, 55, Caldene Ave. Mytholmroyd, West Yorks., HX7 5AJ.
Tel: 01422 843203
Email: tonybuglass@fish.co.uk
Site of first Methodist Quarterly Meeting (1748). Privately owned. No coach access.