Norridge End Primitive Methodist chapel

Leek Circuit

The Primitive Methodist magazine of August 1854 contains an account by Joseph Hutchings of the opening of Norridge End Primitive Methodist chapel in the Leek circuit.

The society had been meeting for twenty years previously in the house of Mr Thomas Dale.  Opening services in the new chapel were held on 6th and 28th May 1854 with sermons by Mrs Sanders of Tunstall and Rev Wears (Wesleyan). “Congregations were large  and the collections good.”

The new chapel was built of stone with a slate roof.  The total cost was £60 “of which we have begged near £30. … A deal of the carting was done free of cost by the farmers in the neighbourhood.”  Thanks especially to John Smedley who donated £10.

Despite my best efforts, I cannot locate Norridge End on a map.  Can anyone tell us where it is and what happened to the chapel?

Reference

Primitive Methodist magazine August 1854 p.503

 

Comments about this page

  • My mother had me christened inMorridge chapel in 1946. I lived in Flash for many years and Have never seen it open.

    By Colin Critchlow (20/05/2023)
  • I was a local preacher in the Leek Circuit from 1965-69 and preached at Norridge End on more than one occasion. My memory is of two sisters, one of whom was the steward and one played the harmonium. There were one or maybe two other people who were sometimes in the congregation. The church was indeed high up on the Leek-Buxton road, but I don’t have a grid reference. I only remember that it was pretty isolated.

    By David Arbon (23/02/2020)
  • The best source is “Methodism in the Moorlands” by John Leach- in the library at Englesea Brook. He variously refers to Morridge Top, and Morridge End- and gives grid references for both.

    By David Leese (04/10/2017)
  • You could well be right.  There is no description of the chapel in the 1854 account beyond saying it was built of brick with a slate roof to match the 1940 one, but Thomas Dale’s house in a census return could provide proof.

    The accounts of chapel openings in the Prim magazine often have variations in spelling.  These might be transcription errors, limited literacy of the authors, local variations in names or variations over time. It all adds to the fun!

    By Christopher Hill (24/05/2017)
  • Thank you for this entry. I think it has to refer to MORRIDGE END, or sometimes referred to as  MORRIDGE TOP chapel on the high ridge of rocks- the Morridge-  to the north east of Leek. There is a return in the 1940 chapel returns relating to this chapel, there it states it was brick built and accommodated 70 on forms, with a gable entrance to the south and two plain windows both sides. It was at an altitude of 1,500ft hence the alternative name Morridge Top. Location is a struggle as there is no clearly defined settlement which could provide the answer-I have a grid reference but it doesn’t seem to apply to modern maps- 072056. Love to know the answer.

    By David Leese (20/05/2017)

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