The Methodist Church in Loughborough: a history

17 May 2020

The Methodist Church is the fourth largest Christian Church in Britain with more than six thousand churches and a total membership of around three hundred and thirty thousand people. 

Established in the mid-eighteenth century, Methodism challenged the religious assumptions of the established church and had a major impact on the development of the early working-class movement. 

Loughborough’s association with Methodism can be traced back to its beginnings, with both John Wesley and, later, Hugh Bourne known to have paid many visits to the town. 

Dr Karen Ette, Methodist Lay Chaplain at Loughborough University, has documented the rise of the Methodist movement in Loughborough, as evidenced by the chapels built in the town over time to accommodate the growing congregation.

Read Dr Ette’s article here.

Find out about the Loughborough Methodist Circuit in current times here.

Read about the history of Methodism in Rothley here.

Karen Ette is the author of ‘Don’t Be Late in the Morning’, the first and only novel written about the Leicestershire Regiment in World War 1. The book is available from Charnwood Museum, from Goldcrest Books, Amazon, or by emailing the author at drkarenette@gmail.com.