Glossopdale Churches and Chapels

Hague Street, Whitfield.

The original Chapel was opened on 26th October 1813 on land leased for 999 years at a rent of 11s. 3d. per annum.

In 1832 a Sunday School was built and later rebuilt in 1865.
At the time when Thomas Taylor wrote his "Echoes" (1874) worship was conducted in the old chapel, and Sunday School work carried on in the school some distance away.

Entrance to the chapel is by stairway; yet it is a lovely sanctuary and conducive to the spirit of worship. Its priceless treasure is the pulpit from which John Wesley preached at New Mills. Like the Ark of the Covenant this pulpit has been moved from place to place. It was taken out of service at New Mills in 1809 when a new chapel was built and a new pulpit put in. It was given to the Whitfield Society in 1813 and moved yet again upon the opening of the present chapel.

Our oldest member at Whitfield is Mrs. Ann Needham, a gracious lady who despite her ninety years still attends services.

Mr. Frederick Coates is the Sunday School Superintendent. Mr. Herbert Howse & Mr. William Hibbert are the Secretary and Treasurer respectively of the Trust and Mr. William Davies & Mr. Fred Barber are the Society Stewards."
In 1885 the old Chapel was demolished and the foundation stone for the new Chapel was laid on 6th June 1885 by Captain Partington, Alfred Leech, John Sellars and W. S. Rhodes.
In 1885 a new school was built and claimed to be one of the best in the district. The old chapel continued in use until 1931 when the Sunday School building was enlarged and transformed into the present imposing structure.

Central Methodist, Chapel Street, Glossop.

The foundation stone was laid on 26th March 1966 by Rev. W. Walkerlee.

The church is built on the site of the old Shepley Mill. The cost of construction was £47,000. The Joseph Bank Benevolent fund gave a grant of £14,000 and a sum of £2,000 was given by the Methodist Chapel Committee.
The Church was opened by the Mayor, Mrs. Ada Williams on 1st October 1966 and can seat 210 with a hall to accommodate a further 200.
The congregation was composed of those from Princess Street, Tabernacle, Ebenezer and Wesley, High Street Chapels which all closed around 1960 following reorganization.

Some Vicars: Rev. Arthur Snell, Rev, J. Rogan, Rev. W. E. Collins, Rev. Peter Swinglehurst, Rev. John Chilton.

Primitive Methodist Chapel, Greenvale, Glossop.

Primitive Methodists formed in 1810 built their first Chapel in Glossop at Greenvale near to the Globe Inn (High Street West). It was opened by George Horbury Esq. of Liverpool on 10th October 1835. The lease was dated 29th September 1835 and was made out to Joshua Graham, overlooker of Littlemoor. The land was called the Warth and was occupied by Francis J. Sumner. The area was East 75 feet bounded by Samuel Wilsons land, West 75 feet by vacant land, North 72 feet by Glossop Brook and South 72 feet by the Glossop to Marple Road. The Trustees were Johnathan Goldthorpe, Thomas Ellis, Charles Jubb, John Gill, Samuel Lister, Samuel Wilson, Samuel Smith, Thomas Johnson, James Wharmby, Joshua Jenkinson & Samuel Beeley.
It was not an imposing structure, the total cost being £224. 19s. 4½d. The Chapel was sold to Francis J. Sumner who wanted the land. There is now the remains of a weaving shed on the site. A new Chapel was built on Shrewsbury Street in 1855.

Princess Street, Glossop.

The Princess Street Chapel - the only one on the Circuit not built with stone - was erected in 1893, shortly after the closing of a small chapel at Charlesworth, and represented an extension of the work of the Shewsbury Street Society. It was built of Wood and had a corrugated iron roof, the minister at this time was Rev. John Farr.
The original trustees were:- John Paulden, shoemaker; John Beresford, spinner; John Byrom, weaver; Joseph James Shirt, spinner; Joel Jarman, sawyer; Samuel Fletcher, railway clerk; George Heywood Arnold, tailor; John Beech of Broadbotton, spinner; Herbert Holland of Broadbottom, sorter in printworks; Joseph Henry Smith, weaver.
The Chapel celebrated its 21st Anniversary on January 1914 and its 50th Anniversary in January 1943.
The Chapel closed on 28th August 1960 and the congregation went to Shrewsbury Street Chapel, Glossop.
In October 1961 the building was converted into a Scout Hut (1st Glossop) and is still in use today

Prior to the building of Shrewsbury Street Chapel the Primitive Methodists worshipped at Greenvale. The present Chapel was erected and opened in 1855 by Rev. W. Rowe of Manchester. It has an outwardly plain appearance but had a pleasing interior with seating capacity for 550

During the ministry of the Rev. W. Goodman (1885 - 8) the Chapel was re-pewed, re-slated and entirely renovated at a cost of £800. A few years later a pipe organ was installed at a cost of £400

Three years after the opening of the Chapel the school was built. Its dimensions were 63 feet long, 50 feet wide, and 27 feet from floor to ceiling. The opening services were conducted by Rev. William Antliff of Oldham.
The buildings are still in use today as retail premises.

Tabernacle, Hall Street ( Manor Park Road) , Glossop.

The Chapel is lovingly referred to be hundreds of people as "The Tabernacle" or even as "Tab". The old Chapel was founded by Samuel Warren in 1835 as a Wesleyan Association Chapel. It was opened by Samuel Warren on January 1st 1837. It is now used as a glass business and bears the name "Wesleyan Association". It celebrated its centenary in 1937 when it was used as a Sunday School. The "new" Chapel was built in 1860 and an American organ was installed, the Chapel also had an orchestra. In 1902 a manual pipe organ was installed.

It celebrated its Jubilee on 5th June 1910 and its centenary in March 1960.After the Great War a font was placed in the Chapel in memory of those who had fallen in conflict. The Chapel closed on 28th August 1960 and the congregation moved to the Chapel in Shrewsbury Street, Glossop. This building is currently empty & for sale.

Wesley Chapel, Glossop.

This is by far the largest Chapel on the Circuit centrally situated, and known to Glossopians of all denominations as "Big Wesley".
The first preaching's were at a cottage at Wrens Nest, then a room was taken over some stables but the place proved too small and inconvenient. The old Shepley Mill had ceased working and the bottom room was taken and converted into a preaching room and Sunday School.
The first Wesley Chapel was projected in the old mill bottom. On Good Friday 1844 the foundation stone was laid. There was a procession joined by about two thousand people. Medals were struck for the occasion. The ceremony was performed by the Venerable Rev. George Marsden assisted by Rev. John Randerson and Rev. J. D. Brocklehurst. The architect was Mr. Joel Buxton. The Chapel was large enough to accommodate about 500 worshippers and had a small school room behind it where a Sunday School was carried on.

The congregation increased so rapidly that in a few years the place was too small. A larger Chapel was greatly needed, subscriptions were raised and plans obtained for carrying out the contemplated design. There arose a difference in opinion in the congregation as to what would be the most desirable thing to do - whether to enlarge the Chapel or build a new one. This caused considerable delay. The difficulty was overcome by the counsel of the Rev. Benjamin Frankland. Mr. Frankland came into the circuit in 1859. He was a practical architect. In various parts of the country he had superintended the enlargement of Chapels and the building of new ones. The Wesley case was at once laid before him and after duly considering it he declared it would be best to build a new Chapel. This settled the matter and preparations were commenced.