Churches and Congregations in New Mills
‘All Athirst for God’
New Mills has many churches, representing many forms of Christian worship. One of the earliest was a Quaker meeting house built in 1717. St George’s Church was not built for the Church of England until 1831, more than a century later. Although the Church of England was the state church, here in New Mills, as in other industrial towns and cities, many people were attracted to different Christian movements like Methodism and Quakerism.
By 1880, when St James the Less opened, there was already a Quaker meeting house and churches for Wesleyan Methodists, Primitive Methodists, Congregationalists and Roman Catholics. All these churches served a population of about 5,500 people. Churches were centres of social activity in the Victorian period. They gave people a chance to carry out civic duties and contribute to social reforms, as well as seeking salvation.
Churches played an important role in providing education and support to local people.
New Mills Local History Society
The new Wesleyan Chapel, built around 1809. John Wesley (1703-1791) was a founder of the Methodist movement. Wesley preached in New Mills many times. He said that he found ‘an artless and loving
people’ there.
New Mills Local History Society
Providence Independent Chapel on Mellor Road, New Mills, built in the 1820s. Legend has it that the worshippers built this church with their own hands because employing a builder would have been
too expensive.
New Mills Local History Society
For many people, church was the centre of their social as well as religious life. Here people found friends, future spouses, support in times of need, sport, education, music and singing, tea
parties and summer outings.
New Mills Local History Society