Otley Circuit (1775)
The numbers in society gradually decreased until 1774 when revivals took place in the neighbourhood of Colne and Otley.
From, 'Methodist Heroes in the Great Haworth Round 1734-1784, by J W Laycock, 1909, p307
Additional Information
The first purpose-built Methodist chapel was built in Otley in 1771 and registered in the Diocesan records on 9th November 1771. The registration reads as follows: “We whose names are hereunto subscribed being Protestant Dissenters intend to use the new house erected of Messrs. Ritchie, Benson and Fairbank in the town and parish of Otley for a place of public worship of Almighty God as witness our hands this 9th day of November 1771. William Thompson, James Skirrow, John Trubley, Thomas Hodgson, John Wood, William White”. The street in front of the chapel was re-named Nelson Street in recognition of John Nelson’s contribution to bringing Methodism to Otley.
The chapel was built to seat about 500 people and John Wesley preached there in 1772 (we still have in our possession the pulpit Wesley preached from). With the increase in membership during the next half century the building was vacated as a chapel in 1826.
Taken from the Otley Methodist ChurchWebsitehttp://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.burland/OMC/
HSBC currently occupy the building on the site.