User:Rowton mc/Rowton Methodist Chapel, Cheshire

Rowton Methodist Chapel, Cheshire

Introduction: Rowton Methodist Chapel is set in Cheshire countryside in Rowton village. Part of the Chester Methodist circuit of churches, there are weekly services held every Sunday at 10.30am. These normally last an hour and are conducted by Methodist ministers or lay preachers. A warm welcome is offered to locals and visitors alike. The chapel offers good facilities for weddings and christenings and can accommodate up to 80 attendees. Facilities are available for preparation of light refreshments and drinks. Situated close to Rowton Hall Hotel and Rowton Moor the site of a civil war battle in September 1645.

History:

A number of Methodist societies began as a result of John Wesley's preaching in the middle of the 18th Century. The present chapel was built in 1865 by the members of a Methodist Society which began in Rowton and nearby Waverton almost 80 years earlier (the earliest recorded date was 1787). At the time the membership numbers were 33, when a number of local residents purchased land in Moor Lane from George Williams of Egg Bridge, Waverton. The Superintendant Minister of the Chester Methodist circuit during this period was Rev. John Carey Pangelly. In 1948 the interior of the chapel was modernised, when the original box pews were replaced by bench style ones. In 1993 the building was extensively enlarged to include a new kitchen, church hall, and an upper floor meeting/activities room. A recent accolade for the building was issued in autumn 2009, when the chapel received a ‘’Little gem’’ Community Pride Competition 2009 award from Cheshire Community Action.

Activities:

Church members provide a number of Sunday lunches throughout the year – all are welcome. Proceeds are donated to a designated charity. An Easter and Christmas Fair is held yearly to support church funds and local charities. Since the autumn of 1999 the chapel has been used by local Roman Catholic parishioners, who meet for Mass on a Saturday evening at 6 o’clock. Weekly meetings in school term time are held by Rowton Rainbows. A Keep Fit class is held every Tuesday afternoon at 3 o’clock and is well attended by local residents. The Chapel is also used for Rowton Parish Council Meetings.

''References: Waverton A History of its People and Places Dec 2002 F.A. Lathorn (Ed), Christleton; The History of a Cheshire village 2nd edition 1985, p65.'' ref>