A society at Kegworth in North West Leicestershire appears in the June 1780 accounts of the Leicester and Nottingham Circuit, and the membership was recorded in 1810 as being 58. [1]
The first chapel was built in 1809. [2] In 1829, there were 250 ‘Methodists’ in Kegworth, who appear to have been Wesleyans.[3] The 1851 religious census return states that 114 people attended the morning service, with 70 Sunday School scholars, and 330 attended in the evening. The average attendance over the past year had been 95 with 80 scholars in the morning, and 150 in the evening. The chapel contained 180 free sittings and 60 others.[4] The accommodation in 1873 was given as 176.[5] All of which raises the question of how they managed to pack in 330 on the evening of 31st March 1851.
The present chapel was erected in 1875 in place of the old one, ‘with stone dressings, in Gothic style’. This could seat 234, but by 1970 the accommodation had been reduced to 100.[6]
The church is still active, as can be seen from the Circuit website
Grid reference SK485267
[1] Richardson, S.Y. Bright Hope: Methodism in Loughborough 1. Heritage vol 7, no.3 April 2006 p 10
[2] HO 129/444/1/5
[3] ROLLR QS 95/2/1/75
[4] HO 129/444/1/5
[5] Returns of accommodation … 1873. London: Wesleyan Conference Office, 1875
[6] Statistical returns … as at July 1st 1940. Manchester: Methodist Church, Department of Chapel Affairs, 1947
Statistical returns 1970. Manchester: Methodist Church, Department of Chapel Affairs, 1972
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