Overview of Wesleyan Methodism in Luton

In 1908 A. Ernest Balch wrote a history of Wesleyan Methodism in Luton. His book is available in the Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service Searchroom. He begins the story in Sundon which was visited by John Wesley on 30th April 1754 – he did not think much of the inhabitants calling them “very quiet, very stupid people” and commenting “After all our preaching, even those who have constantly attended, no more understand us than if we had preached in Greek”.

Wesley first preached in Luton on 10th November 1766, being encouraged by the Anglican curate Coriolanus Coplestone (the incumbent William Pryor was an absentee vicar). In 1772 he preached in Saint Mary’s church, noting: “The frost was exceedingly sharp, and the glass was taken out of the windows. However, for the sake of the people, I accepted the offer, though I might as well have preached in the open air. There were four or five times as many people as used to come to the room, so I did not repent my labour”. He returned to Luton to preach in 1775, 1782 and 1784.

A Sunday school was started in Luton in 1803 by John Crosby Leppington, Minister of the Bedford Circuit. The school met in a cottage in Park Street under John Underwood.

In 1808 the Luton Circuit was created. The original meetings seem to have been at:

• Chalton;
• Dagnall [Buckinghamshire];
• Dunstable;
• Houghton Regis;
• Leagrave High Street;
• Luton Chapel Street;
• Luton Church Street;
• Markyate [Hertfordshire];
• Stevenage [Hertfordshire];
• Tebworth;
• Weston [Hertfordshire].

It is important to remember that most of these meetings were not chapels but would have met in private houses or barns. The Hertfordshire meetings at Saint Albans, South Mimms and Watford were part of Luton Circuit only in 1813 and 1814. Wheathampstead [Hertfordshire] was also in Luton Circuit in 1813 and 1814 and is also mentioned in 1836 but has no later mention.

Meetings were added to the circuit around the following dates:

• 1813: Hudnall [Hertfordshire] and Kensworth;
• 1834: Barton-le-Clay and Hitchin [Hertfordshire];
• 1836: Aley Green; Harlington; Hockliffe; Pegsdon [Hertfordshire]; Sundon; Toddington and Whipsnade;
• 1837: Cockernhoe [Hertfordshire] and Lilley [Hertfordshire];
• 1839: Harpenden, High Street;
• 1840: Shillington;
• 1841: Flamstead [Hertfordshire];
• 1842: Chalk Hill and Greenfield

In 1843 the Dunstable Circuit was created, taking the following meetings with it: Chalk Hill; Chalton; Dagnall; Dunstable; Greenfield; Harlington; Hockliffe; Houghton Regis; Hudnall; Kensworth; Leagrave High Street; Sundon; Tebworth; Toddington and Whipsnade.

The following meetings then joined by the following dates:

• 1844: Gravenhurst; Offley [Hertfordshire] and Stopsley;
• 1845: Gaddesden Row [Hertfordshire]; Kimpton [Hertfordshire] and Limbury;
• 1846: Chaul End;
• 1850: Ickleford [Hertfordshire];
• 1851: Arlesey;
• 1853: Studham;
• 1854: Chaul End; Hitchin [Hertfordshire] and Studham;
• 1856: Kinsbourne Green [Hertfordshire];
• 1857: Walkern [Hertfordshire];
• 1863: Luton, Waller Street;
• 1864: Pirton [Hertfordshire].

In 1864 the Hitchin Circuit was created taking the following meetings with it: Arlesey; Hitchin; Ickleford; Offley; Pegsdon; Pirton; Stevenage, Walkern and Weston

The following meetings then joined Luton Circuit:

• 1865: Luton, Round Green;
• 1866: Luton, Albert Road;
• 1867: Hexton [Hertfordshire];
• 1871: Luton, North Street;
• 1872: Luton, Albert Road.

In 1880 the Luton Wesleyan Circuit was split into two. Chapel Street Circuit contained:

• Chapel Street itself;
• Aley Green;
• Chaul End;
• Flamstead;
• Gaddesden Row;
• Harpenden;
• Kinsbourne Green;
• Limbury;
• Luton, Albert Road; 
• Markyate;
• Studham.

The following meetings were later added to Chapel Street Circuit: 1884: Wheathampstead, Cold Harbour; 1898 Luton, Bailey Hill; 1904 Luton Dallow Road; 1905 Batford [Hertfordshire]; 1908 Luton, Dunstable Road.

Waller Street contained:

• Waller Street itself;
• Barton-le-Clay;
• Cockernhoe;
• Gravenhurst;
• Hexton;
• Kimpton;
• Lilley;
• Luton Church Street;
• Luton North Street;
• Luton Round Green;
• Shillington, High Road;
• Stopsley.

The following meetings were added to Waller Street: Luton, Ashton Street in 1883; Darley Hall (Kings Walden [Hertfordshire]) in 1884 and Luton Central Mission in 1903.

The Wesleyan, Primitive and United Methodists came together in 1932 to form the Methodist Church of Great Britain. The following year all the Wesleyan and Primitive Luton Circuits were combined into two circuits, Luton and High Town.

The following chapels closed in the period 1808 to 1933: Bendish is only mentioned once, in 1843; Woodside seems to have dispersed by the 1850s; Limbury closed in 1896; in 1898 Luton, Albert Road was replaced by Bailey Hill; Luton, Ashton Street was replaced by Luton Central Mission in 1903; Cold Harbour was replaced by Batford in 1905; Luton, Church Street was demolished in 1921; the original Harpenden High Street was replaced by a new building in 1930.