A History of Horncastle, from the earliest period to the present time

by J. Conway Walter

After a few years this second chapel was found lacking in accommodation and a third building, the present edifice, was erected in Prospect Street, in the year 1853, with sittings for 380, at a cost of about £1,100. As this is a substantial structure, likely to last for many years, we may here describe it. It is of red brick, except the arch of the western door, which has a band of white bricks; the bricks are larger than usual, being 3¼ inches in thickness. The entrance has a double door opening into a lobby, at each end of which is a staircase, leading to the north and south galleries. There is a window on each side of the door, three windows above, and over them, in the gable, a stone, with the inscription “Primitive Methodist Chapel, 1853.” At the east end of the interior is a Rostrum, 12-ft. long, divided into two stages, the front one being 8 inches above the floor, the second, behind it, about 4½-ft. high, with access by steps at both ends. The front of this platform has slender piers, supported by lancet arches, with trefoils and quatrefoils between, giving a graceful effect, and painted white, gold, and grey, with a background chocolate in colour. At the back of the rostrum are eight arches in the pannelling. This is said to have been a copy of the arrangement in Bardney Chapel. Over the rostrum is a recess in the east wall, containing the harmonium, which cost 40 gs., and seats for the choir. The sittings in the body of the chapel are of stained and varnished deal. At the rear of the chapel, entered by doors at each side of the rostrum, is a large room for the Sunday School, with two smaller class rooms above it. The erection of this building was due to the exertions of the Rev. J. Haigh, who was appointed minister in 1850, and as an exception to the usual custom, he was requested to continue his ministry for four years. We may add that, at the opening service of this third chapel the ministers present were Rev. J. Haigh, as Superintendent; Rev. T. Fletcher; Rev. R. Pinder, then at Coningsby; Rev. J. Garbutt, Supernumerary, from West Ashby. The Rev. T. Fletcher was appointed as Second Minister in Horncastle, at that time, for two years; he became in 1872 Superintendent Minister for three years, and again 1884 for four years, leaving for Market Rasen in 1888. During the ministry of Rev. J. Haigh in Horncastle, several chapels were built in the neighbourhood.

Horncastle was at first included in the Lincoln Circuit, but in 1837, at the building of the second chapel it was constituted a separate circuit, and when the third chapel was erected, in 1853, Coningsby was made a branch of Horncastle.

The first preacher who visited Horncastle was a female, Jane Brown by name, who is said to have walked from Lincoln to Horncastle on a Sunday morning, giving an address in the Market Place in the afternoon, and in the evening holding a service in a house, now forming part of the back premises of the Red Lion Hotel. The first local preachers were also females, Mary Allen and Mary Clarke. The first two female members were Mary Elwin and Martha Belton.

Mr. Butcher having been the first resident minister, was succeeded by the Rev. C. Smith, who worked here and in various other places during 50 years, and then retired to York as supernumerary. The Rev. William Rose, who had been Second Minister in 1850, was appointed Superintendent in 1875, and remained two years. A few years later the Rev. J. Pickwell (1888–90) was Superintendent, with Rev. W. Whitaker as Second Minister; the former first joined the society as a scholar in 1849, being numbered among the local members, he afterwards removed to Lincoln, and acted as Itinerant Minister for 33 years before returning to Horncastle in 1888. Mr. Pickwell was succeeded by Rev. William Kitson as Superintendent, with Rev. R. H. Auty as Second Minister. Mr. Kitson retained his post during four years, when he left for Market Rasen. Mr. Auty was followed, as Second Minister, by Rev. John Bowness, and he, in turn, by Rev. Thomas Stones.

In 1894 the Rev. John Featherstone succeeded to the ministry, with Rev. W. J. Leadbetter as Second Minister, both these stayed to their second year, Mr. Featherstone dying in 1896. In that year the Rev. John Worsnop was appointed, with Rev. A. W. Bagnall as Second Minister; the former retained his post during five years; Mr. Bagnall two years, being succeeded in 1898 by Rev. Walter Tunley, and he, in 1899, by the Rev. George H. Howgate, who stayed two years. In 1900 Rev. J. Worsnop retired to Newcastle-on-Tyne, and died there in Dec., 1904.

In 1901 the Rev. Matthew H. Chapman became Superintendent Minister, with Rev. J. A. Kershaw as Second, both remaining during two years. In 1903 the Rev. Robert B. Hauley succeeded, with Rev. J. Cousin as assistant, both remaining two years. In 1905 (July) the former left for Kirkby Stephen, Westmoreland, the latter for a circuit in Shropshire. They were followed by the Rev. E. Allport, from Skegness, as Superintendent, Sept. 1905; and Rev. E. J. Hancox from Doncaster. In June of that year the annual Conference was held at Scarborough.

We will now put together a few details of the origin of this society. Hugh Bourne was born at Stoke-upon-Trent, April 3, 1772. [73] Although his family was said to be ancient, his ancestors having come to England at the Norman Conquest, he belonged to a humble rank in life, living at Ford Hays Farm. He was in early life educated by his mother, a godly woman, and while very young he learnt by heart the Te Deum, the Litany, and much of the prayers of the Church of England. He worked for his father, and an uncle who was a millwright, but found time to study hydrostatics, pneumatics, natural philosophy,

as well as Hebrew, Greek and Latin. His mother’s influence had given him a serious bent of mind, and he early acquired strong religious convictions. His biographer says of him “He tells, in child-like simplicity, how, when only four or five years old, he pondered over thoughts of heaven and hell, the last judgment, and other solemn subjects. During the next 20 years his inner life was one of hopes and fears, doubt and faith, conflict and victory.”

His mother, going to Burslem on business, borrowed of a Wesleyan friend, some religious books, among them being Baxter’s Call to the Unconverted, Allen’s Alarm, and a sermon by Wesley on The Trinity. Her son Hugh naturally read these, and Wesley’s sermon made a great impression upon him. One Sunday morning he was sitting in his room, reading Fletcher’s Letters on The Spiritual Manifestation of the Son of God, when he declares that he was led “to believe with his heart unto righteousness, and with his mouth to make confession unto salvation.” This was in his 27th year, A.D. 1799. He joined the Wesleyan society in June of that year, the special occasion being a love feast at Burslem, to which he was taken by an aged neighbour, a farmer near Bemersley, named Birchenough, at whose house services were conducted, who offered him a ticket which constituted him a member, and thus in his own words I was “made a member without knowing it.”

As we shall presently see Hugh Bourne became one of the two originators of the Primitive community, the other was his friend and neighbour William Clowes, a sketch of his career was published some years ago, [74] from which we cull the leading particulars. He was born at Burslem 12th March, 1780, his mother, a daughter of Aaron Wedgewood, being a near relation of Josiah of that name, the inventor of the famous Wedgwood pottery. At ten years of age (1790) he began work in his uncle’s pottery, which he continued for several years. At that time dancing, gambling and pugilism were the chief amusement of the factory men and colliers of Staffordshire, and for some years he led a wild life of dissipation, yet this was accompanied, at times, with a sense of self-condemnation and spiritual consciousness. “When I was ten years old,” he says, “I remember being at a prayer meeting conducted by Nancy Wood, of Burslem, in her father’s house, when, convinced of the sin of disobedience to my parents, I wept bitterly.” Conflicts between good and evil continued to disturb him for several years. When a young man, at a dance in Burslem, he was so suddenly convicted of sin, that he abruptly withdrew. Shortly afterwards he married, but he and his wife quarralled so violently that he left her, and went off, taking with him only his mother’s prayer book. After some wandering, without a penny in his pocket, he returned and begged his wife to attend the Wesleyan Chapel regularly with him, but she refused. He then, prayer book in hand, took an oath that he would serve God and avoid dissipation. This oath, however, was broken; but once more in the early hour of a cold January morning he went forth, and seeing a faint light burning in a window, he entered the house, to find a few humble methodists gathered for an early prayer meeting. There, he says, he knelt unnoticed, but there he “died to sin, and was born of God. This, I said, is what they call being converted. I was fully persuaded that I was justified by faith, and had peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” From that day, Jan. 20th, 1805, he began a new life.