History Zone

The Start

In the year 1738, the Rev. John Wesley preached for the first time in the town from the steps of a house near the George Hotel. If we take this event as marking the starting point of Methodism in Knutsford, then the opening of the present church in 1865 followed an already-established history of over 120 years of Methodist-style worship in the town.

The Original Chapel

The New Chapel
 

The Opening of the New Chapel & Sunday School

The style of the Chapel is Early English Gothic, built to a rectangular floor plan, 63 ft. by 37 ft. (19.4m x 11.4m). In the original-arrangement (still evident in the gallery at the west end), one aisle on each side divided the seating into three blocks of open pews, with inclined backs and book-rests.

Before the chapel was built the growing body of Knutsford Methodists had established an association with the Northwich Circuit, and this association continued for a further eleven years after the opening. Then, in 1807, by which time the Chapel had become a notable entity in its own right, the affiliation transferred to the Macclesfield Circuit.

The Knutsford Methodists could be proud of their record during the first fifty years of the new Chapel, and, at the Jubilee held on 14th June, 1914, this was warmly and thankfully acknowledged in the celebrations. The Rev. W. H. H. Kelshaw, who was born in Knutsford but was a Minister in London, preached at 11.00 a.m. and 6.30 p.m.

The North wall of the church carries a War memorial (Roll of Honour) presented by Mr E. H. Rooks, Sunday School Superintendent.

By John Mills

Whilst touring the First World War battlefields of the Ypres Salient in Belgium this summer I visited the graves of Frederick Keens and William Clayton, two soldiers named on our war memorial who were killed in the fighting near Ypres in 1915.

Although the first resident Minister was appointed in 1864 it was not until some twenty four years later that an actual residence, or Manse, was provided by the Chapel.

KMC has a long tradition of supporting Knutsford Royal May Day, one of the great traditional street festivals of England.

Though May Day has its roots in pagan festivals, and celebrations were banned by Cromwell in 1644, The Knutsford festival was revived by Rev. Robert Clowes in 1864, and gained Royal approval in 1887 with the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales.