PRESTON METHODIST CIRCUIT

1 Wesleyan Circuit

2 Primitive Methodist Circuit (see also acc. 6153)

3 Fylde Road and Moor Lane Circuit (see also acc. 6109, 6153)

4 Preston 'A' Circuit (Trinity Circuit from 1953) (see also MPR 34 and acc. 6064)

5 North Road Wesleyan Chapel (see also acc. 6153, 6556)

6 Bray Street (Wesleyan Methodist) Church (see also acc. 6153)

7 Eldon Street (Primitive Methodist) Church (see also acc. 6057, 6373)

8 Fylde Road (Primitive Methodist) Church

9 Ashton (Wesleyan Methodist) Church (see also acc. 6039, 6153, 6211)

10 Croston Emmanuel Methodist Church (formerly Westheads United Methodist Free Church) (see also acc. 6064)

11 Preston Methodist Society

12 Lune Street Circuit records (see also acc. 6681, 6780, 6893, 7344)

13 Lune Street Circuit financial records (see also acc. 7450)

14 Lune Street Circuit miscellaneous records (see also acc. 6247)

15 Bridge Street Wesleyan Mission (see also acc. 6535)

16 Edward Street (Wesleyan Methodist) Church and Mission School

17 Kingsfold Methodist Church (see also acc. 6209, 6780)

18 Leyland (Wesleyan Methodist) Church (Turpin Green) (see also acc. 6209, 6265, 6271, 6535, 6556, 6780, 6893)

19 Lune Street Chapel (see also acc. 6535, 7450, 7489)

20 Marsh Lane (Wesleyan Methodist) Church and Croft Street Mission School (see also acc. 6271, 6556, DDX 1756/1)

21 Midge Hall Church

22 Penwortham (Wesleyan Methodist) Church (see also acc. 6209)

23 Ribbleton Avenue (Wesleyan Methodist) Church (see also acc. 5364, 6527, 7344)

24 St Mary's Street (Wesleyan Methodist) Church (see also acc. 6271, 6556)

25 Tennyson Road (Wesleyan Methodist) Church

26 Orchard Circuit records (see also acc. 5968)

27 Orchard Circuit financial records

28 Orchard Circuit miscellaneous records

29 Brook Street Primitive Methodist Society (see also acc. 5971)

30 Guttridge Memorial (United Methodist Free) Church (see also acc. 5364, 6252, 6265)

31 Lostock Hall (Primitive Methodist) Church (see also acc. 6209, 6535)

32 Orchard (United Methodist Free) Church (see also acc. 6252, 6556)

33 Plans

34 Trinity Circuit miscellaneous records (see also acc. 6780)

35 Longton Methodist Church (see also acc. 6087, 6681)

36 Saul Street (Primitive Methodist) Church

37 Little Hoole (Primitive Methodist) Church (?at Walmer Bridge)

(see also acc. 5933)

38 Ellen Street (Wesleyan Methodist) Church

(acc. 5135; see also acc. 6153)

39 Barlow Street (Wesleyan Methodist) Church

(acc. 5135; see also acc. 5573)

40 Ingol (Wesleyan Methodist) Church

(acc. 5135; see also acc. 6564)

41 Bamber Bridge (Wesleyan Methodist) Church

(acc. 5135; see also acc. 5573, 6145, 6335, 6368)

42 Moor Park (Wesleyan Methodist) Church

(acc. 5135; see also acc. 5573, 6153, 6527)

43 Walton-le-Dale (Wesleyan Methodist) Church

(acc. 5364, 6222, 6780, 6893)

44 Moor Lane (United Methodist) Church

(acc. 5424)

45 Parker Street (2nd) Circuit United Methodist Free Church

(acc. 5424)

46 Moor Lane (United Methodist) Church

(acc. 5424, 6153)

47 New Longton (Methodist) Church

(acc. 5424, 5645, 6087, 6109, 6681, 6780)

48 Fulwood (Wesleyan Methodist) Chapel

(acc. 5135, 6234, 6252, 6272, 6341, 6355, 6527)

49 Lea

(acc. 5522, 5971, 6042, 6080, 6179)

50 Freckleton Wesleyan Church

(acc. 5573)

51 Walmer Bridge Methodist Church

(acc. 5573, 5933, 5971, 6241, 6482, 7068; see also DDX 1698)

52 Hoole Methodist Church

(acc. 5933, 6042, 6893)

53 Higher Walton (Wesleyan Methodist) Church

(acc. 6092)

54 Deepdale, Mill Street (Primitive Methodist) Church

(acc. 6153)

55 Farington (Primitive Methodist) Church

(acc. 6153)

56 Brookfield Methodist Church

(acc. 6252, 6265)

57 Leyland Lane (Primitive Methodist) Church

(acc. 6249)

58 Longridge Wesleyan Church

(acc. 6324)

59 Gregson Lane Methodist Church

(acc. 6355, 6373)

N.B. The above accession numbers also include records relating to several churches assigned a number on earlier occasions. Additional material for several churches can be found in DDX 1611 (acc. 6324).

Please note all unpublished Methodist Records, including baptism registers, are closed to public inspection for 30 years. Marriage registers from closed churches are open.

MPR 1-10. Deposited by the Rev N. Fishhurn of Ashton Preston, 7 Aug 1974 and by the Rev. N. Pratt, 1 Nov 1977

MPR 11-33. Deposited by H. Merriweather, Ashton on behalf of the Lune Street and Orchard Circuit, 28 Jun and 1 Sep 1977

CIRCUIT CHANGES IN PRESTON

INTRODUCTION

At present (Aug. 1988) (At the time of writing (August 1988) there are plans to regroup the two circuits into Preston Circuit and South Ribble Circuit) there are two circuits: the Lune Street and Orchard Circuit, and the Trinity Circuit. Lune Street and Orchard Circuit comprises Lune Street (Central), Lostock Hall, Leyland, Ribbleton Avenue, Walton-le-Dale, Penwortham, Kingsfold, Guttridge, Brookfield, Longridge, Leyland Lane and Midge Hall Churches. Trinity Circuit comprises Ashton, Lea, Eldon Street, Ingol, Fulwood, Bamber Bridge, Gregson Lane, Higher Walton, Longton, New Longton, Walmer Bridge and Hoole Churches.

Both circuits were formed in 1953 as groupings of smaller circuits.

ORIGINS

By 1937 there were six circuits: two for each of the three Methodist denominations. (Methodist Union in 1932 had no immediate effect on the configuration of circuits in Preston). The six circuits were:-

Wesleyan Methodist

Lune Street Circuit formed c.1799 (1). Originally called Preston Circuit until 1866 (except c.1843-c.1858, Preston and Chorley Circuit) (2). In 1866, split into Lune Street and Wesley Circuits (2)

Wesley Circuit formed 1866

Primitive Methodist

Saul Street Circuit formed c.1822, centred on Lawson Street Chapel at first, then Saul Street (3). Originally called Preston Circuit (Primitive Methodist Connexion), then Preston 1st Circuit in 1876 [see below], but known as Saul Street Circuit by 1934 (4)

Fylde Road Circuit formed in 1876, centred on Brook Street Chapel at first, then Fylde Road (5). Originally called Preston 2nd Circuit but known as Fylde Road Circuit by 1935 (6)

[Note: between 1891 and 1930 there had also been a Preston 3rd Circuit, centred on Eldon Street Chapel, but this became part of a reconstituted Preston 2nd Circuit in 1930 (6)]

United Methodist

Orchard Circuit date of formation unknown. Probably not formally called Orchard Circuit until after the 2nd Circuit was formed [see below]

Moor Lane Circuit formed by 1859, after Orchard Circuit (7). Originally called Preston 2nd Circuit. (An alternative name was Parker Street Circuit until 1873 when it was formally designated Preston 2nd Circuit (7) - not to be confused with the Primitive Methodist Circuit of the same name). Between 1899 and 1901 the name changed to Moor Lane Circuit (7)

CREATION OF THE PRESENT CIRCUITS

Lune Street and Orchard

Lune Street Circuit and Orchard Circuit combined in 1953 to form Lune Street and Orchard Circuit (8).

Trinity

In 1937, Saul Street Circuit joined Wesley Circuit to form Preston 'A' Circuit (9) which reverted to the name Wesley c.1949 (10). Meanwhile in 1939 Fylde Road Circuit joined Moor Lane Circuit to become Fylde Road and Moor Lane Circuit (6). Finally, in 1953 Fylde Road and Moor Lane combined with Wesley to form Trinity Circuit (11).

References: 1. Victoria History of Lancashire, vol. 2, p. 86

2. MPR 12/1-3

3. Richardson, W.F., Preston Methodism's 200 Fascinating Years, p. 89

4. MPR 2/2/6

5. Richardson pp. 91, 167

6. MPR 2/4

7. MPR acc. 5424 (circuit quarterly meeting minutes)

8. MPR 12/15

9. MPR acc. 5135 (circuit plans) [Richardson's statement on p. 183 appears to be incorrect]

10. MPR 1/2

11. MPR 34/1