Aintree Primitive Methodist Chapel

Jam manufacturer Sir William Pickles Hartley was a staunch Methodist and strongly believed in improving the living and working conditions of his workers. The Primitive Methodist chapel in Aintree owes its origin to Sir W.P. Hartley’s  creation  of a model village  there in 1886 and his jam works works moving there in 1891.  In 2010 the council made it a conservation area on the basis of “its importance as an example of Victorian manufacturing philanthropy, comprising a purpose-built factory, model village for employees and land for recreation”.

The Primitive Methodist church and school opened in 1892. It comprised a large central hall for worship and school work, together with classrooms and other accommodation. WP Hartley gave £1,000 towards the cost, about one third of the amount and retained enough land for the later building of a chapel.

The 1908 Ordnance Survey map shows a Primitive Methodist chapel close to the model village on Longmore Lane at the junction with Cedar Road – the current (2020) Longmoor Lane Methodist church.