Where
“South Cheshire, in a hamlet in the middle of nowhere,” says project director Stephen Hatcher. “But we are in easy reach of Crewe and the M6 motorway.”
What
Englesea Brook Chapel & Museum regards itself as a heritage and outreach project focusing on the primitive methodists, the second-largest branch of Methodism after the Wesleyans.
“Primitive Methodism was amazingly successful as a working-class movement and religion,” Hatcher says. It is housed in an 1828 chapel, which still holds services on a monthly basis and for major Christian festivals.
Opened
1987.
Collection
Primitive Methodism sprang from a day of prayer at Mow Cop, Staffordshire, in 1807; for many years its preaching was done in cottages and other ad hoc venues. The museum holds a substantial library with many of the movement’s early tracts. The cowshed printing press on which Hugh Bourne, one of Primitive Methodism’s pivotal figures, published these leaflets, is also part of the collection.
“There’s a very good collection of historic banners, which are not exclusively religious,” says Hatcher. “People can also see the first pulpit made from a chest of drawers, with a crude adaptation to put a Bible on.”
Highlights
“There is a child’s grave in the floor of the chapel. This is unusual in a non-conformist building, but in 1841, the chapel had no burial land,” says Hatcher. “The interment helped save the chapel from cottage conversation in 1983.”
Help at hand
A full-time project director and a part-time administrator/education worker. There are 20 regular volunteers.
Budget
£80,000 a year. The museum receives some income from the Methodist church. Grants from the local authority, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, and various covenants have also been part of its income stream. The museum prides itself on its annual book sales, which can raise £10,000 a year. Admission is free, as are tea and biscuits to visitors.
Sticky moment
“The Queen was going to come for the 200th anniversary of the Mow Cop meeting, but the Duke of Edinburgh wasn’t well, so we got the Princess Royal instead,” Hatcher says.
Survival tip
“Running a museum is hard work,” Hatcher says. “People fool themselves if they think bright ideas alone will work.”
Visitors
10,000 came to the site itself in 2010. Many more encounter the museum via its educational work covering local history and religious themes in their historical contexts. It works with about 60 schools a term.
Future plans
The museum also owns two cottages in Englesea Brook, one of which houses its library and to which disabled access is being added.
www.engleseabrook-museum.org.uk
“South Cheshire, in a hamlet in the middle of nowhere,” says project director Stephen Hatcher. “But we are in easy reach of Crewe and the M6 motorway.”
What
Englesea Brook Chapel & Museum regards itself as a heritage and outreach project focusing on the primitive methodists, the second-largest branch of Methodism after the Wesleyans.
“Primitive Methodism was amazingly successful as a working-class movement and religion,” Hatcher says. It is housed in an 1828 chapel, which still holds services on a monthly basis and for major Christian festivals.
Opened
1987.
Collection
Primitive Methodism sprang from a day of prayer at Mow Cop, Staffordshire, in 1807; for many years its preaching was done in cottages and other ad hoc venues. The museum holds a substantial library with many of the movement’s early tracts. The cowshed printing press on which Hugh Bourne, one of Primitive Methodism’s pivotal figures, published these leaflets, is also part of the collection.
“There’s a very good collection of historic banners, which are not exclusively religious,” says Hatcher. “People can also see the first pulpit made from a chest of drawers, with a crude adaptation to put a Bible on.”
Highlights
“There is a child’s grave in the floor of the chapel. This is unusual in a non-conformist building, but in 1841, the chapel had no burial land,” says Hatcher. “The interment helped save the chapel from cottage conversation in 1983.”
Help at hand
A full-time project director and a part-time administrator/education worker. There are 20 regular volunteers.
Budget
£80,000 a year. The museum receives some income from the Methodist church. Grants from the local authority, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, and various covenants have also been part of its income stream. The museum prides itself on its annual book sales, which can raise £10,000 a year. Admission is free, as are tea and biscuits to visitors.
Sticky moment
“The Queen was going to come for the 200th anniversary of the Mow Cop meeting, but the Duke of Edinburgh wasn’t well, so we got the Princess Royal instead,” Hatcher says.
Survival tip
“Running a museum is hard work,” Hatcher says. “People fool themselves if they think bright ideas alone will work.”
Visitors
10,000 came to the site itself in 2010. Many more encounter the museum via its educational work covering local history and religious themes in their historical contexts. It works with about 60 schools a term.
Future plans
The museum also owns two cottages in Englesea Brook, one of which houses its library and to which disabled access is being added.
www.engleseabrook-museum.org.uk