Cloud sometimes known as The Cloud stands on Bosley Cloud Hill near Congleton and is on the Staffordshire side of the Cheshire border. In the entry in the journal of Hugh Bourne (1772-1852) dated 4 May 1808 says that (Wesleyan) work is broke out at Rushton and he goes to speak about improving the meeting at Buglawton by Cloud with a camp meeting. In his journal dated 15 May 1808 Hugh Bourne writes that the meeting at Cloud was held out of doors. On 28 July 1808 Hugh Bourne heard from his brother James Bourne (1781-1860) that they had been “put out of Society” in other words expelled by the Burslem Wesleyan Circuit Meeting. Cloud was on the Congleton Wesleyan Circuit Plan 10 January 1808 to 10 July and 23 October 1808 to 16 April 1809 with a preaching service every other week. The Cloud Wesleyan Society was on the Cheshire side of Cloud Hill. On the Staffordshire side of Cloud Hill lived the Dakin (or Deakin) farming family, Joseph (1746-1831) and Rebekah nee Reynolds (1752-1822) and their ten children. They were tenant farmers at Ashmore House, Rushton. Their youngest daughters Mary (1791-1814) and Elizabeth (1793-1879) early in 1810 heard a Methodist style sermon which made a lasting impression on them. The preacher was the Rev Jonathan Wilson, curate of St Lawrence’s Church, Rushton Spencer. Mary found salvation in late 1810 at a prayer meeting led by Hugh Bourne at Cloud. Around the same time her sister Elizabeth found liberty. Shortly afterwards Joseph Dakin was taken seriously ill and his son George (1778-1854) who had joined the Rushton Wesleyan Society brought some of the members to pray with his father. Following this incident Ashmore House became a preaching place. In 1811 James Bourne preached at Ashmore House several times. Rebekah was profoundly deaf and at her request Hugh Bourne wrote what he called 'A statement of the doctrines of the gospel'. Following their spiritual awakening the Dakin family home became a preaching place. On 25 April 1811 Hugh and James Bourne preached at Ashmore House and shortly after a Primitive Methodist Class was formed which the Dakin family joined. On the hand written Primitive Methodist Plan for 22 September 1811 to 15 December 1811 Cloud is one of the preaching places. On 17 November 1811 Hugh Bourne preached three times at Cloud and stayed overnight with Aaron Mitchell. Hugh Bourne wrote in his Journal on 10 May 1814 that Elizabeth Dakin preached at Cloud for the first time and that she did well. When a Sunday school was started at Cloud it created the need for a chapel. On 12 May 1815 the trustees bought for £5 a piece of land on the Staffordshire flanks of The Cloud hill to 'build a chapel meeting house or school for the use of a society or congregation known by the Denomination of Primitive Methodists.' H. B. Kendall (1844-1919) reported in 1904 the tradition that Thomas Bayley begged the money for the chapel in three days and that the stone-built chapel costing £26 was built in three weeks. The trustees were Hugh Bourne and James Bourne, William Dakin (1783-1855) and Charles Dakin (1787-1872) yeomen, the nail makers Richard and Aaron Mitchell and Thomas Bayley, a stonemason. The chapel opened in 1815. The first Anniversary of the chapel was held in May 1816 when the preacher was Samuel Barber (1775-1828) popularly known as 'Black Sam'. On 3 April 1817 Elizabeth Dakin preached at the Cloud chapel. The Cloud Methodist Church which is in the Dane and Trent Methodist Circuit is the oldest still functioning former Primitive Methodist Church in the world. At the time of writing in 2025 there is a weekly service on Sunday afternoons.

Entry written by: DHR
Category: Place
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