Methodist Circuit
Encyclopedia
The Methodist Circuit is part of the organisational structure of British Methodism
,or at least those branches derived from the work of John Wesley
. It is a group of individual Societies or local Churches under the care of one or more Methodist Ministers. In the scale of organisation, the Circuit is about mid-way. Upwards, Circuits are grouped in Districts. The Districts form the Connexion, which is the overall national Methodist Church. Downwards from the Circuit, a Class is the main sub-division of a local Church. This overall structure derives from John Wesley
's organisational genius. This organisational structure does not apply to many non-Wesleyan branches of Methodism, nor to some of those that split from Wesleyan Methodism, such as the Wesleyan Reform Union
.
Within that area a number of "Societies" would be formed. During the 18th century, John Wesley did not intend establishing churches in a new denomination. His vision was for a revival movement within the Church of England. The Societies would be a gathering of people who met for Bible study, prayer, mutual encouragement, and preaching. Usually, this was during the week so that they could attend services in the Parish Church. The earliest Circuits covered a very large area, but gradually shrank as the number of societies increased.
The first (Wesleyan) Methodist Conference took place at the Foundery in June 1744. The known first Plan (of preaching appointments) was made by Wesley in London in 1754. The first recorded Quarterly Meeting (the usual business meeting of the Circuit) was at Todmorden-Edge, 18 October 1748.
John Wesley drew on existing structures, especially those used by the Moravians, who had been so instrumental in his own spiritual developoment. "At their Herrnhut
colony he witnessed gatherings for testimony and mutual edification, select bands, classes, conferences on doctrine, open air preaching, preaching by laymen, itinerant preachers, and orphan homes. Most of these features had, indeed, been anticipated by the Waldenses in the sixteenth century, between whose organisation and that of the Moravians and Methodists there are striking, though probably accidental, resemblances.
Wesley did not claim the Class as 'divine institution', but as wise for practical regulation of Methodists.
The individual Christian who is a Member of a Methodist Society is both a member of a Class, a group of nominally 12, under a Class Leader, and also a member of a local Methodist Church or Society. The Class Leader has some pastoral responsibility for the Class.
Early Methodism (as organised by Wesley) had Local Preachers and Travelling Preachers. A Local Preacher was a layman, perhaps a farmer in our example, appointed to preach within his own Circuit. A Travelling Preacher, or Minister in modern Methodism, is appointed by Conference to serve for a limited time in a Circuit and then move around the country to any other Circuit where Conference may send him. In John Wesley's time, this could be as little as a few months. As Methodism became more settled as a denomination, this was from one to four years, now typically five to ten years. Some Circuits may also have Lay Pastors.
The non-pastoral work is done by Society Stewards and Circuit Stewards. These are appointed to various functions, such as Treasurer, or Property Steward, etc. to look after various practical needs. Usually these are voluntary workers, but some situations also require paid staff.
The Governing body of British Methodism is Conference.
, elected President of the Primitive Methodist Conference in 1909. The normal term of service is one year.
The Church Council is held twice per year or as required to govern the business of individual churches.
or the United Church of Canada
, the circuit system has generally disappeared or been greatly modified even if it existed before. The US United Methodist Church
does not at present operate on a circuit system, though something like it is reappearing in places. The Methodist Church of New Zealand
has a circuit system, but refers to its circuits as parish
es.
and Longnor
Methodist Circuit providing an example from rural Methodism.
The diagrammatic map of the Leek area shows the number of "preaching stations" and chapels in existence during the 18th and 19th centuries, both Wesleyan and Primitive. (This is not exhaustive, but shows information at the time of drawing.) Some of the places were cottages or farmhouses, and not the final location of a chapel. The diagram includes a reference to a Preaching Plan of 1798.
It is easier to describe the origins of the Wetton and Longnor Circuit by reference to the “family tree,” which shows the sequence by which the north of England was divided into Circuits of smaller areas as the number of Methodists grew. This had the advantages of both reducing the time spent in traveling, and ensuring that the work load of the Travelling Preachers was manageable.
In 1870, the Wesleyan Leek Circuit was divided to form the Wetton and Longnor Circuit. A new Manse was built at Wetton to house the Minister. The Methodist Union
of 1932 brought new Chapels from the Primitive Methodists. In some cases, such as at Warslow
, this meant having two buildings in the same road a couple of hundred yards apart. The P.M. building was the more suitable, so the Wesleyan building was eventually sold.
In 1962, for example, there were 10 Societies in the Circuit. These were Wetton
, Alstonefield
, Hartington
. Butterton
, Warslow
, Longnor
, Rewlach, Sheen, Newtown
, and Hollinsclough
. Rewlach, for example, was a chapel in a remote location associated with one farmhouse and little else. Yet even in the 1990s, not long before closure, it still attracted enough people to fill the building for harvest festival. The only chapel still open as a place of worship is Hollinsclough, which celebrated its 200th anniversary at Easter 2001.
Modern population trends, and economic pressures, led to the end of Wetton and Longnor as a separate Circuit. In 1969, it ceased and the various chapels were allocated to neighbouring Circuits of Leek, Ashbourne and Buxton. It is not only Methodist Chapels that have closed. Many village schools have also closed during the same time.
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
,or at least those branches derived from the work of John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
. It is a group of individual Societies or local Churches under the care of one or more Methodist Ministers. In the scale of organisation, the Circuit is about mid-way. Upwards, Circuits are grouped in Districts. The Districts form the Connexion, which is the overall national Methodist Church. Downwards from the Circuit, a Class is the main sub-division of a local Church. This overall structure derives from John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
's organisational genius. This organisational structure does not apply to many non-Wesleyan branches of Methodism, nor to some of those that split from Wesleyan Methodism, such as the Wesleyan Reform Union
Wesleyan Reform Union
The Wesleyan Reform Union is an Independent Methodist Connexion based in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1859 by the members of the Wesleyan Reform movement who did not join the United Methodist Free Churches-Statement of Faith:...
.
The first Circuits, 1746
The earliest preachers under John Wesley were itinerant, and preached around an area from a home base. "Circuit", or "Round" as they were first named, was therefore the natural name for the area they covered. At first they were named after their founder of main itinerant preacher. For example, 'John Bennet's Round', or the 'Circuit of William Darney's Societies'. The first official list dates from 1746.- London (including SurreySurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, KentKentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, EssexEssexEssex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, BrentfordBrentfordBrentford is a suburban town in west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent, west-southwest of Charing Cross. Its former ceremonial county was Middlesex.-Toponymy:...
, EghamEghamEgham is a wealthy suburb in the Runnymede borough of Surrey, in the south-east of England. It is part of the London commuter belt and Greater London Urban Area, and about south-west of central London on the River Thames and near junction 13 of the M25 motorway.-Demographics:Egham town has a...
, WindsorWindsor, BerkshireWindsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
, WycombeHigh WycombeHigh Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
); - Bristol (including SomersetSomersetThe ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, PortlandIsle of PortlandThe Isle of Portland is a limestone tied island, long by wide, in the English Channel. Portland is south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. A tombolo over which runs the A354 road connects it to Chesil Beach and the mainland. Portland and...
, WiltshireWiltshireWiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, OxfordshireOxfordshireOxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, GloucesterGloucesterGloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
); - Cornwall
- Evesham (including ShrewsburyShrewsburyShrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, LeominsterLeominsterLeominster is a market town in Herefordshire, England, located approximately north of the city of Hereford and south of Ludlow, at...
, HerefordHerefordHereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
, and from StroudStroudStroud a town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England.Stroud may also refer to:*Stroud, New South Wales, Australia*Stroud, Ontario, Canada*Stroud , Gloucestershire, UK*Stroud...
to WednesburyWednesburyWednesbury is a market town in England's Black Country, part of the Sandwell metropolitan borough in West Midlands, near the source of the River Tame. Similarly to the word Wednesday, it is pronounced .-Pre-Medieval and Medieval times:...
); - Yorkshire (including CheshireCheshireCheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, LancashireLancashireLancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, DerbyshireDerbyshireDerbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, NottinghamshireNottinghamshireNottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, RutlandRutlandRutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
, LincolnshireLincolnshireLincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
); - Newcastle
- Wales
Within that area a number of "Societies" would be formed. During the 18th century, John Wesley did not intend establishing churches in a new denomination. His vision was for a revival movement within the Church of England. The Societies would be a gathering of people who met for Bible study, prayer, mutual encouragement, and preaching. Usually, this was during the week so that they could attend services in the Parish Church. The earliest Circuits covered a very large area, but gradually shrank as the number of societies increased.
Milestones in Wesley's early Methodism
The first Wesleyan Methodist society was formed in 1738, the first Methodist building was the Foundery acquired in 1739, and the first Class meetings were in 1742.The first (Wesleyan) Methodist Conference took place at the Foundery in June 1744. The known first Plan (of preaching appointments) was made by Wesley in London in 1754. The first recorded Quarterly Meeting (the usual business meeting of the Circuit) was at Todmorden-Edge, 18 October 1748.
John Wesley drew on existing structures, especially those used by the Moravians, who had been so instrumental in his own spiritual developoment. "At their Herrnhut
Herrnhut
Herrnhut is a municipality in the district of Görlitz, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany.It has access to Bundesstraße 178 between Löbau and Zittau...
colony he witnessed gatherings for testimony and mutual edification, select bands, classes, conferences on doctrine, open air preaching, preaching by laymen, itinerant preachers, and orphan homes. Most of these features had, indeed, been anticipated by the Waldenses in the sixteenth century, between whose organisation and that of the Moravians and Methodists there are striking, though probably accidental, resemblances.
The beginnings of Class Meetings
The Wesleyan societies were composed of Bands, which were meetings of 5 to 10 like-minded people seeking Christian Perfection, and considered the 'inner core' of the Societies. John Wesley drew up rules for these in December 1738. Some of the Societies were known by the name of the person in whose home they met, such as 'Mr. Fox's Society', and 'Mr. Ingham's Society'. The origin of the Class was partly accidental. By 1742, John and Charles Wesley had about 1100 Methodists in London for whom they felt a pastoral responsibility, but could not keep in touch with them and continue their other work. While in Bristol, John Wesley met some members of the Society there. One, Captain Foy, suggested that every member give a penny a week until a debt there be paid. When someone objected due to the poverty of many, he offered that 11 of the poorest be grouped with him, he would collect the subscription, and make up any shortfall if any could not pay. Soon afterwards, on hearing that someone was not living as he should, John Wesley realised that the group of 12 for collection of money was the basis of a group for weekly meeting for prayer, Bible study, and mutual encouragement. One function of the Class Leader is that the Class Ticket, a quarterly membership ticket for Methodists, be given to his class members, and withheld from those whom they judged unworthy of being called Methodists. The Class Ticket is the "membership card" for Methodists.Wesley did not claim the Class as 'divine institution', but as wise for practical regulation of Methodists.
Connexion
- the whole of Methodism within a country under the authority of the Conference. Note that different branches of Methodism mean that in any one country there may be more than one Connexion.District
- in Britain for example, typically from one to 3 counties in extent, grouping together from 10 to 50 Circuits. As at 2008, there are 32 Districts in Great Britain, with about 630 Circuits, averaging about 20 Circuits in each.Circuit
- a grouping of 2 or more Societies, under a Superintendent Minister and with other Ministers according to the number of members. Circuits are usually named after the place (town or village) of the society that is the "Head of Circuit", or after the general area, for example a river valley. As at 2008, there are about 5,900 individual Churches, averaging just over 9 per Circuit.Society
- the local Church in modern Methodism, originally the group of people who met for Methodist fellowship.Function
The Circuit is the main functional unit of Methodism, in that a large number of activities are organised at this level. For example, Ministers are appointed firstly to the Circuit and secondly to the pastoral care of specific churches. They are paid by the Circuit. Preaching appointments for both Ministers and Local Preachers are organised by the Circuit and advertised on a Circuit Plan issued every 3 months by the Superintendent Minister.People
The people involved in Methodist organisation are as follows.The individual Christian who is a Member of a Methodist Society is both a member of a Class, a group of nominally 12, under a Class Leader, and also a member of a local Methodist Church or Society. The Class Leader has some pastoral responsibility for the Class.
Early Methodism (as organised by Wesley) had Local Preachers and Travelling Preachers. A Local Preacher was a layman, perhaps a farmer in our example, appointed to preach within his own Circuit. A Travelling Preacher, or Minister in modern Methodism, is appointed by Conference to serve for a limited time in a Circuit and then move around the country to any other Circuit where Conference may send him. In John Wesley's time, this could be as little as a few months. As Methodism became more settled as a denomination, this was from one to four years, now typically five to ten years. Some Circuits may also have Lay Pastors.
The non-pastoral work is done by Society Stewards and Circuit Stewards. These are appointed to various functions, such as Treasurer, or Property Steward, etc. to look after various practical needs. Usually these are voluntary workers, but some situations also require paid staff.
Structure
Methodism holds in principle the priesthood of all believers, which is a Protestant doctrine that all true Christians are of equal value to God, and Church offices are functional rather than hierarchical. So while this list implies a chain of authority, it is of function rather than rank.The Governing body of British Methodism is Conference.
President of Conference
An ordained Minister, with the Vice-President being a layman (or woman). The one exception was (layman) William HartleySir William Pickles Hartley
Sir William Pickles Hartley , jam manufacturer and philanthropist, founded the Hartley's jam company. He was born in Colne, Lancashire and attended a local British and Foreign School Society school.-Biography:...
, elected President of the Primitive Methodist Conference in 1909. The normal term of service is one year.
Chairman of the District
An Ordained Minister who is appointed to take administrative responsibility, along with pastoral responsibility for the Ministers, for a District. This is undertaken as if a normal appointment to serve in a Circuit, and the term of service is typically some 5 to 10 years.Superintendent and Circuit Ministers
The senior Minister on any Circuit is the Superintendent, who may be the only Minister, though the current trend for amalgamation of Circuits makes this rare. The superintendent will also have pastoral responsibility for at least one of the local churches on the Circuit, with pastoral responsibility for others being allocated to the other Ministers.Local Preachers
Suitably trained, and appointed, lay preachers who take worship services in any church on the Circuit to which they may be appointed. The Plan of Preaching Appointments is prepared every 3 months by the Superintendent Minister. In Wesleyan Methodism it is not usual practice for Local Preachers to administer the Sacraments (Baptism and Holy Commununion), but in Primitive Methodism (1811 to 1932 in Britain), the Local Preachers did.Circuit Officers
The principal officers are the Circuit Stewards, who are officially responsible for the running of the Circuit. They are collectively responsible for the finances of the Circuit, though almost invariably one of them will be appointed Circuit Treasurer.Church Officers
These include the various Church Stewards, as well as Treasurer, Secretary, and others.Meetings
The Circuit Meeting is the main governing body of the Circuit, and consists of the Circuit Ministers, Circuit Officers, and officers and elected representatives of the various churches in the Circuit. The Preachers (Local Preachers and Ministers) also hold a quarterly Local Preachers' Meeting that governs worship and preaching issues.The Church Council is held twice per year or as required to govern the business of individual churches.
Other countries
Some Methodist churches in countries outside Britain have retained the circuit system; others have not, or never had it. Where Methodist churches have entered national united churches (such as the Church of South IndiaChurch of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
or the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
, the circuit system has generally disappeared or been greatly modified even if it existed before. The US United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
does not at present operate on a circuit system, though something like it is reappearing in places. The Methodist Church of New Zealand
Methodist Church of New Zealand
The Methodist Church of New Zealand — Te Hahi Weteriana O Aotearoa is a Methodist denomination headquartered in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is a member of the World Council of Churches.-External links:*...
has a circuit system, but refers to its circuits as parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es.
Case history - the Wetton and Longnor Methodist Circuit
The place of the Circuit in Methodism can be understood from a specific example, the WettonWetton, Staffordshire
Wetton is a village in the Peak District National Park, North Staffordshire, at the top of the east side of the Manifold Valley. The population recorded in the 2001 Census was 157. This article describes the location, some of the main features of the village, and a number of places of historical or...
and Longnor
Longnor, Staffordshire
Longnor is a village in the Staffordshire Peak District, England. The settlement dates from early times, the first recorded Church building being in the Middle Ages. The village was named Longenalre in the Domesday Book. Located on a major crossroads, Longnor was a significant market town in the...
Methodist Circuit providing an example from rural Methodism.
The diagrammatic map of the Leek area shows the number of "preaching stations" and chapels in existence during the 18th and 19th centuries, both Wesleyan and Primitive. (This is not exhaustive, but shows information at the time of drawing.) Some of the places were cottages or farmhouses, and not the final location of a chapel. The diagram includes a reference to a Preaching Plan of 1798.
It is easier to describe the origins of the Wetton and Longnor Circuit by reference to the “family tree,” which shows the sequence by which the north of England was divided into Circuits of smaller areas as the number of Methodists grew. This had the advantages of both reducing the time spent in traveling, and ensuring that the work load of the Travelling Preachers was manageable.
In 1870, the Wesleyan Leek Circuit was divided to form the Wetton and Longnor Circuit. A new Manse was built at Wetton to house the Minister. The Methodist Union
Methodist Union
For English Methodists, Methodist Union refers to the joining together, in 1932, of several of the larger groups of English Methodists. These were the Wesleyan Methodists, the Primitive Methodists, and the United Methodists.-Methodist Union:...
of 1932 brought new Chapels from the Primitive Methodists. In some cases, such as at Warslow
Warslow
Warslow is a small village in Staffordshire, England. It is located in the Peak District National Park about north of Ashbourne.Although in the county of Staffordshire, the village lies close to the Derbyshire border, and in fact has a Derbyshire postal address, i.e...
, this meant having two buildings in the same road a couple of hundred yards apart. The P.M. building was the more suitable, so the Wesleyan building was eventually sold.
In 1962, for example, there were 10 Societies in the Circuit. These were Wetton
Wetton, Staffordshire
Wetton is a village in the Peak District National Park, North Staffordshire, at the top of the east side of the Manifold Valley. The population recorded in the 2001 Census was 157. This article describes the location, some of the main features of the village, and a number of places of historical or...
, Alstonefield
Alstonefield
Alstonefield is a village and civil parish in the Peak District National Park and the Staffordshire Moorlands district of Staffordshire, England. It is about to the North of Ashbourne, drive East from Leek and south from Buxton...
, Hartington
Hartington
Hartington is a village in the Derbyshire Peak District, England, lying on the River Dove close to the Staffordshire border. According to the 2001 census, the parish of Hartington Town Quarter, which also includes Pilsbury, had a population of 345...
. Butterton
Butterton
Butterton is a small village in the Staffordshire Peak District of England . It is west of Wettonmill in the Manifold Valley and north of Grindon. The village is just to the west of the limestone area, and so is mainly built of local sandstone...
, Warslow
Warslow
Warslow is a small village in Staffordshire, England. It is located in the Peak District National Park about north of Ashbourne.Although in the county of Staffordshire, the village lies close to the Derbyshire border, and in fact has a Derbyshire postal address, i.e...
, Longnor
Longnor, Staffordshire
Longnor is a village in the Staffordshire Peak District, England. The settlement dates from early times, the first recorded Church building being in the Middle Ages. The village was named Longenalre in the Domesday Book. Located on a major crossroads, Longnor was a significant market town in the...
, Rewlach, Sheen, Newtown
Longnor, Staffordshire
Longnor is a village in the Staffordshire Peak District, England. The settlement dates from early times, the first recorded Church building being in the Middle Ages. The village was named Longenalre in the Domesday Book. Located on a major crossroads, Longnor was a significant market town in the...
, and Hollinsclough
Hollinsclough
Hollinsclough is a small rural Staffordshire village that lies by the River Dove in the English Midlands. It is within the Peak District National Park.-Location and geography:...
. Rewlach, for example, was a chapel in a remote location associated with one farmhouse and little else. Yet even in the 1990s, not long before closure, it still attracted enough people to fill the building for harvest festival. The only chapel still open as a place of worship is Hollinsclough, which celebrated its 200th anniversary at Easter 2001.
Modern population trends, and economic pressures, led to the end of Wetton and Longnor as a separate Circuit. In 1969, it ceased and the various chapels were allocated to neighbouring Circuits of Leek, Ashbourne and Buxton. It is not only Methodist Chapels that have closed. Many village schools have also closed during the same time.