Maulden Primitive Methodist Church
Bedfordshire
Nestling on the south side of Greensand Ridge, the village of Maulden lies on the old main road connecting Ampthill and Shefford. The name, Maulden meaning ‘cross on a hill’ suggested to the author of ‘The King’s England Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire’ that ‘it may have been one of the earliest places of Christian teaching’.
The Primitive Methodist Church in was located in The Brache, Maulden was registered for Worship on 27 February 1861 by Edward Bishop, 6 Adelaide Square, Bedford, minister.
This was a small compact chapel. Attending afternoon worship, one was met with a sense of calmness and peace on entering the chapel through the narrow door. The simple, unornamented communion rail was a much later addition to the church after Methodist Union. The right hand side of the chapel had a screen into the Sunday Schoolroom, that could be pulled back as required. This Schoolroom was very small, making it a squeeze when a Circuit Meeting was held there. A small galley kitchen and toilet were behind the schoolroom.
When opened, Maulden was part of Bedford Primitive Methodist Circuit. When in 1897 that Circuit was split in two, Maulden was one of the founding churches of the Bedford II (Cauldwell Street) Primitive Methodist Circuit.
Latterly, Mr & Mrs Sharp were the leading active workers in Maulden Methodism. Mr Sharp gave guided walks around nearby Maulden Woods, after which Mrs Sharp provided generous amounts of food to hungry walkers.
Sources and References:
The King’s England – Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire – Arthur Mee
Bedfordshire Chapels and Meeting Houses: Official Registration 1672-1901 – Volume 75 Bedfordshire Historical Record Society – Edited by Edwin Welch
Bedford II Quarterly Meeting Minutes books 1897-1924
A History of The County of Bedford – Part 30 Redbornestoke Hundred – Victoria County History Edited by William Page FSA
Other online photographs may be viewed at:
http://www.summerfieldfamilyhistory.co.uk/Maulden,%20Beds%20photos.htm
http://ampthillimages.com/Media/MaulTo1946-Gall/pages/1943%20Methodists%2001.html
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There’s an account by John Moore in the Primitive Methodist magazine for December 1860 (pages 735-736) of the opening of the chapel from July 1st 1860.
Preachers at the opening included Mr. W. G. Lawes (independen0, Mr. T. Legge (Wesleyan), Rev. J. Andrews (Independent) of Woburn, Rev. John Moore (Wesleyan), Mr. G. Hull, from Saffron Walden, Mr. J. Prior, Rev. T. Baker, B. A. (Baptist) of Ridgmonnt, Mrs. Eales and Mr. Robinson from Cambridge.
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