Wesleyan Methodist Church, Nantwich

Early visits from Nonconformist preachers were not welcomed in Nantwich. In 1753, John Wesley was "saluted with curses and hard names", while that same year, George Whitefield was met by angry crowds who tried to drive a bull into his audience, but were foiled when the animal fell into a pit. A Methodist congregation was in existence by 1777. Members originally worshipped in a chapel on Barker Street, which later became a Baptist chapel. Wesley preached there twice, on 6 April 1779 and 17 May 1781. In 1789, the congregation numbered only 23. In 1858, the church was improved with the addition of vestries at a cost of £400.) In 1883, it was the largest chapel in the town. The new building was…

The former Wesleyan Methodist Church is a two-storey building in red brick, which is set well back from the street. The front façade is gabled, with stone dressings, and is flanked with tall brick pilasters. This face has a recess at ground level containing two adjacent doorways, which have stone surrounds with pilasters and decorative keystones, and semi-circular arched heads with fanlights; the doorways are flanked by two narrow windows. Above the doors is another large arched recess, faced in stone, which contains two large arched windows flanked by pilasters, with a smaller circular window above. There are two stone string courses and a stone cornice. The façade is flanked by circular…