Wesleyan Methodists in Stagsden

Wesleyan Methodist meetings are recorded at Wick End and West End, although Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service has no records relating to them. Interesingly they do not appear on any Ordnance Survey maps suggesting that they were not chapels but that members met in a private house or barn.

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 the Wesleyans in Stagsden confirms that, at that time, they did indeed meet in "a Farm House in Stagsden". The return ws made by James Henman, "Steward of the Society" of West End, indicating that the meeting place may have been West End Farm.

Numbers were healthy. There was seating accommodation for 70 and standing room for 70 or 80. 62 had attended on the census day and hensman noted: "The room is udes for one evening service during the year. Average from 60 to 70".