Wesleyan Methodists in Barton-le-Clay

A Wesleyan Methodist Church was in existence by 1834 as Isaac Wale of Bedford registered the chapel as a place of worship on 19th June 1834, it was certified by Charles Bailey, registrar, on 21st June 1834. It was amalgamated with Barton-le-Clay Primitive Methodist Church in 1944, remaining in Sharpenhoe Road premises. The Circuits were Luton Wesleyan from 1834 to 1880; Luton Waller Street from 1880 to 1933; Luton from 1933 to 1965; Luton North from 1965 to 1987; Luton from 1987 to 2010 and South Bedfordshire 2010 to date.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every building and piece of land in the country was to be assessed to determine its rateable value. The valuer visiting the property, on 21st February 1927 [ref: DV1/C22/35] found it was owned by Trustees of the Wesleyan Chapel. No information is provided regarding the building. 

Ecclesiastical Census

On Sunday 30th March 1851 a census of all churches, chapels and preaching-houses of every denomination was undertaken in England and Wales. The local results were published by Bedfordshire Historical Records Society in 1975 as Volume 54, edited by D. W. Bushby. The return for Barton-le-Clay Wesleyan Methodist church noted the following pieces of information:

• The church had 174 sittings (120 free, 54 other).
• The general congregation had been 52 in the afternoon, 128 in the evening.
• Sunday scholars had been 30 in the morning

List of sources at Bedfordshire Archives:

• ABN2/288: Application to register the Wesleyan Chapel, 1834
• MB2/BAR2: Barton-le-Clay Methodist Church (originally Wesleyan)
• RDLP1/487: Planning application & plan for additions to the Wesleyan Church at Sharpenhoe Road, 1909
• Z402/10/4: Barton Wesleyan Methodist church income and expenditure account, 1985