Lowton Lane Head Primitive Methodist Church
closed 2010

The first of three Chapels opened in 1842. You can find out more by following this link.
W Rowe writes about the opening of the first Lowton Primitive Methodist chapel in the Primitive Methodist magazine of 1842. The full transcript (by David Tonks) is in the document attached to this page.
Opening services took place on Sunday, June 12th, 1842 when Mr T. Unsworth preached in the afternoon, and Mr R. Kaye in the evening. Raising the money for the chapel was not easy. “Some lime was carted and paid for, but the person who had sold the trustees bricks would not allow any to be delivered without receiving for them ready money” – not an unreasonable position! The chapel was an immediate success and a thriving Sunday school was quickly established.
The trustees wanted to extend the chapel, but the editor of the magazine counselled against this. “We advise the friends at Lowton not to enlarge their chapel unless they can, beg all the cost, besides reducing the present debt. Seasons of mighty out-pourings of the Spirit are not generally the times for enlarging chapels, but rather for converting sinners.”
Reference
Primitive Methodist Magazine, November 1843 Pages 430-432
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I’ve added the Return to the 1851 Census of Places of Public Religious Worship for Lowton Primitive Methodist chapel. It confirms that the chapel was built in 1842. It seated 320 and average afternoon attendance was 200. 160 children attended the morning Sunday school.
The return was completed by John Unsworth, hand loom weaver.
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