Little Wenlock: Nonconformity

NONCONFORMITY.

No dissenters or Roman Catholics were reported in 1676 (fn. 1) or 1716, (fn. 2) and in the later 18th century Methodism was resisted by the farmers. When John Fletcher tried to preach in the parish a noisy disturbance took place. (fn. 3) Wesleyans from Lawley Bank preached in the coalmining area c. 1799. (fn. 4) In 1813 Wesleyans had weekly preaching at their 'Horsehay and Little Wenlock' station. (fn. 5) By 1816, and until the 1840s or later, there were also meetings at Coalmoor and Huntington. (fn. 6) In the 1870s there were weekly Wesleyan services at Lawley Furnaces. (fn. 7) A house was licensed for meetings in 1825, (fn. 8) perhaps for the Revivalist Methodists. In 1839 members of the New Connexion met weekly at New Works, Huntington, Coalmoor, and Little Wenlock. (fn. 9) Meetings were still taking place in 1860. (fn. 10) In the 1850s Primitive Methodists met at Coalmoor, New Works (by 1837), (fn. 11) and Little Wenlock (fn. 12) but the Coalmoor society met from 1858 at the Moreton's Coppice chapel, in Dawley parish. (fn. 13) By 1890 the only meeting was at New Works, (fn. 14) where the society (inactive from 1927) expired in 1930. (fn. 15) In the early 1930s rallies organized by Dawley and Madeley Methodist circuit were held at New Buildings Farm (fn. 16) and the village hall. (fn. 17)