Addingham, West Yorkshire

Addingham is situated on the River Wharfe, about 6 miles east of Skipton and 3 miles west of Ilkley. The Quaker Meeting House at Farfield was established soon after the 1689 Toleration Act.

The first Methodist society in Addingham was formed around 1748, several years after preaching in the area began, led by William Grimshaw. John Wesley preached at Addingham on 26 July 1766, travelling from Skipton to Guiseley. The first meeting house, a modest building with square windows and whitewashed walls, was built in 1778 in Lidget Lane. It was enlarged in 1808 and reconstructed in 1834. Around the chapel building is a large burial ground which was given in 1825 by George Oates Greenwood (1798-1845), of Netherwood House. In the burial ground is a large Egyptian style mausoleum built by William Greenwood (1804-1866) in honour of his brother George Oates Greenwood. In 1843 a Wesleyan Day School was started in premises specially built as a school using the British system of tuition. 50 children were enrolled. In 1874 new school premises were built. The chapel was extended in 1880.

Primitive Methodists: In 1821 John Hewson (1793-1831) preached in Addingham Main Street. A Society was started and met in a room in the Crown Inn. In 1832 a Sunday school was started and met in the Addingham Low Mill. In 1837 land was purchased and the chapel was opened in 1839. On 22 June 1912 the foundation stones for a new chapel and school were laid opposite the Fleece Inn on land donated by Mr Ellis Cunliffe Lister-Kay (1774-1853). The chapel was opened on Saturday 15 January 1913.

Wesleyan Reform Union: The corner stone of Mount Hermon chapel was laid on Good Friday, 29 March 1861. The building survived a fire, set by a disgruntled member of the congregation in December 1869.

Sources
  • William Lemmon, Methodism in Addingham (Otley: Delta Print, 1973).
  • 'Addingham Wesleyan Chapel', Bradford Observer, 5 July 1880, page 3.
  • 'Addingham Primitive Methodism', Wharfedale and Airedale Observer, 7 June 1912, page 2.

Entry written by: DHR
Category: Place
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