Harriseahead Primitive
Methodist Chapel
Article From W J Harpers Mow Cop
and its Slopes
The situation is - as a good many of the early chapels were, behind some cottage property, with a long narrow passage as an approach to it. Of course, it has been altered and enlarged, but the original walls still remain, also the roof under which the venerable Hugh Bourne began his religious experiences. There are many Primitive Methodists who venerate this pioneer of their cause and who regard the site as sacred ground. Strangely enough, when the Chapel was enlarged in 1823, the gallery was taken out, which was before that time across one end of the interior. The division of the ground floor was of the old type viz., men sitting on one side of the chapel and women on the other and the choir was in a corner by the pulpit. Over the original entrance to the chapel and facing the schoolyard is an oval date-stone fixed in the outer wall and bearing the following inscription :
" This Chapel was erected in the Year of Our Lord, 1801 and enlarged in 1823." Whether this is the original date-stone could not be definitely stated probably it is not, but it would be inserted most likely at the time of the first enlargement in 1823, it appears never to have been altered and records the enlargement on it. The Sunday School, built at an angle with the chapel, bears a date-stone which is a copy of the above in design, and bears the inscriptions:
" Harriseahead Sunday School, Erected in the Year of our Lord, 1856."
The number of Scholars when opened was about one hundred.
The new Wesleyan Chapel was erected in 1876, and stands in High Street, Harriseahead,on the way to Sands.
Today the Chapel stands in a state of disrepair as can be seen from the photo's below.
