Bingham Primitive Methodist Chapel
opened 1818
Now the ‘Horse and Plough’, this was the first Primitive Methodist Chapel in Nottinghamshire.
The chapel was on the upper floor, with steps up to it which are now hidden by a side extension. On the ground floor were cottages. This would have been an economical way to build for a society who were mostly farm labourers.
The plaque says, ‘Primitive Methodist Chapel 1818. The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. Psalm 126 v.3.
William Clowes records in his journal that he preached in Bingham in 1817 to a crowd of 2,000 people.
The chapel was opened by Lorenzo Dow, an American evangelist, and Dorothy Ripley, originally from Whitby, who had travelled with Dow from America, and were met by Hugh Bourne at Liverpool.
It is said that so many people came to the opening, that they could not all get in. So Dorothy Ripley preached in the open air, perhaps from the steps. Afterwards she and Dow were arrested for ‘inciting a riot’!
The Nottingham Journal reported: ‘Last Sunday, the sect called RANTERS, opened their new chapel at Bingham. At ten o’clock the Rev Lorenzo Dow, from America, preached to a very large congregation, so numerous indeed, that the chapel, which is pretty capacious, was not sufficient to hold half the people assembled; to remedy this, at two o’clock the same gentleman and a Quakeress addressed the multitude in the market place, and again in the chapel, at six o’clock, when a great many were again disappointed of hearing, from want of room within the building. A very liberal collection was made on the occasion towards defraying the expenses of the erection, etc of this new place of worship.’
Comments about this page
Rebecca,
The page on Lorenzo Dow, Founder of the American Camp Meetings – chapter 10 relates a little about Dorothy Ripley working with Lorenzo Dow. It states that she was originally associated with the Society of Friends (Quakers).
There is also a page about Dorothy on Wikipedia.
Hi my name is Rebecca Pearson i live in whitby north yorkshire and Dorothy Ripley was my aunt 8 times removed . i was wondering if you have any aditional information with regards to Dorothy that you may send to me as i am collating as much information as possible into her amazing life , one to pass on to future generations of my family and secondly to highlight the amazing work of this fearless and strong woman to our wonderful town in which she was born and raised
many thanks and i hope to hear from you
Thanks to Adrian Gray for the information that in August 1818 Sarah Kirkland married John Harrison at Bingham. Sarah Kirkland is a great figure in her own right and Harrison was also a PM preacher.
You can read about Sarah Kirkland here
“A Little Labour of Love”: The Extraordinary Career of Dorothy Ripley, Female Evangelist in Early America, dissertation by Elisa Ann Everson (2007).
Thank you to Val Henstock, who is organising an exhibition at the Methodist Church in Bingham, as part of their 200th anniversary celebrations, for the photo of the former chapel in brighter weather! And for finding the account of the opening in the local newspaper for 1818.
Nottinghamshire Archives:
Ref. C/QDR/2/4: Old Primitive Methodists, Bingham.
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