The Primitive Methodists
Bi Centenary 2007

Mow Cop is very much associated with the Primitive Methodist movement; in fact it is Primitive Methodism that put Mow Cop on the map much more than it’s castle or its centuries of industry. On the first page in a book published in 1939 called `MOW COP AND AFTER - the story of Primitive Methodism’ is a passage that states in a Wesleyan Chapel in London, Mow Cop Castle is a part of a stained glass window.
"There is in the apse of Wesley's Chapel, London, a beautiful window that symbolises the origin, spirit and evangelistic purpose of the Primitive Methodists. The artistic treatment is both conventional and modern. The famous Mow Cop `Castle’ is outlined against the blue sky while Peter preaches with boldness in the open-air on the Day of Pentecost. On Peter’s left are one or two fellow-apostles, like John, and listeners from the four points of the compass, but on his right typical working people to whom the early Primitive Methodists proclaimed the Gospel in the market places an on the village greens of the country
But what is Primitive Methodism? And when and by whom was it started?
The two founders of the movement are without doubt Hugh Bourne 1772-1852, and William Clowes 1780-1851. But before we look at these two individuals we need to briefly trace the history of Methodism. The Methodist church was founded by John Wesley 1703-1791, John like his father was a clergy man in the Church of England, however he was a non conformist, and although he approved of organisation he felt the church was not doing all it should in reaching out to the people. John Wesley became a traveling evangelist and spent a lot of time in America, during the early evangelistic revival of the 1700’s John began to organise meetings and groups of people into what is now the Methodist Church. After his death in 1791 the church began the usual internal bickering and started to go away from the teachings and basic principals that Wesley had established.
In 1800 there were no Churches on Mow Cop, the Anglicans showed no interest in the area and the Methodists had reverted to just staying inside their own churches as open air sermons as established by Wesley has died off. Hugh Bourne described the people of Mow Cop and Harriseahead as a bunch of godless people, and stated that you could not walk the area without physical or verbal assault. And so in 1801 he held prayer meetings at Pointon's Farm, which was to be the site of the very first camp meeting. Bourne had no idea how popular these meeting would become and before long there was not enough room in the farmhouse. He promised the people that they would one day have a full day of prayer on Mow, thus began the camp meetings and the birth of Primitive Methodism.
On the 31st May 1807 Hugh Bourne and William Clowes started the first camp meeting. The day started cloudy and rained threatened to spoil the day, however it soon brightened and people had traveled from as far as Macclesfield and Warrington, it was not well organised. Pulpits were made from piles of rocks, and yet so many turned up. The first meeting lasted 14 hours and ended at 8:00pm. The day had been a success, and so began the organising of a second camp meeting. This took place some 3 months later on the Saturday August 22nd 1807, and was much better organised. This was to be a day and night affair and started at 4 o’clock in the afternoon and continued throughout the night. There were many, mainly from the Methodist church that tried in vain to get the camp meetings banned, but to no avail. They became known as Primitive Methodist’s, simply because they were reviving Wesley's Primitive ways.
In 1841 as the Primitive Methodist movement grew they had their ownchapel built , this was a small building and was built on the sight of what is now the Coronation Fustian Mill (21) (this however was not the first Primitive Church; that was built in Tunstall in 1811). As the need for a larger building became apparent they moved just across the road next to Pointon's Farm and built The Primitive Methodist Memorial Church (6). Work commenced in 1857 and the Church was opened in 1860. It then had to be re-built in 1882 due to storm damage.
In 1907 the Primitive Methodists celebrated their centenary with Camp Meeting up and down the country, it was however to be another spectacular day at Mow Cop with an estimated attendance of 100 000 people. (See linked camp meeting pictures)

The next large camp meeting recorded was the 150th anniversary where I believe the attendance to have been 5000, it was just before this meeting the memorial stone was placed in front of the castle with the inscription


"TO THE GLORY OF GOD. Camp meeting near this spot on May 31st, 1807, began the Religious Revival led by Hugh Bourne and William Clowes known as Primitive Methodism."