A Place of Worship

Wesleyan Chapel, High Street, Bentley

Bentley Churches

It's hard to imagine that Bentley wasn't an ecclesiastical parish in its own right until a hundred and twenty years ago. Until then Bentley shared a parish with nearby Arksey. 

The lack of an Anglican church in Bentley however, did not prevent many nonconformist religious houses springing up a lot earlier than this.

In this article we look at the rise of these religious houses in Bentley from their earliest beginnings until Bentley finally became a parish in its own right.

Contents

• Wesleyan And Primitive Methodism
• Early Methodists In Bentley
• Cooke Street Chapel
• High Street Chapel
• Demolition
• The Primitive Methodists In Bentley
• A New Chapel
• Bentley Road Primitive Methodist Chapel
• Other Non-conformist Churches In Bentley
• Bentley Baptist Church
• Bentley Pentecostal Church
• Kingdom Hall (Jehovah's Witnesses)
• The Anglican Church In Bentley
• St Peter's Church
• St Philip & St James Church
• The Roman Catholic Church In Bentley
• Timeline Of Bentley Churches

Wesleyan And Primitive Methodism

Methodism was first introduced in the 1700's by John Wesley (1703 - 1791), who was born in Epworth, Lincolnshire. Born out of the Church of England Wesley's brand of worship followed a methodical study of the Bible and leading a holy life. Open-air preaching became a popular way of recruiting followers and reaching factory labourers taken out of their normal village setting by the Industrial Revolution.

John Wesley

Following Wesley's death in 1791 the Methodist movement split from the Church of England to become a separate church, ordaining its own ministers. As a church not conforming to the rules of the established church it is known as a nonconformist church. 

Wesleyan Methodism rejected the more evangelical approach of revivals and camp meetings and was seen as a more middle class form of worship. Not all were content with this method of preaching and so following a split in 1807,  the Primitive Methodist church was founded in 1810. Based among the poorer of society, the style of preaching was more spontaneous, direct and passionate. The Primitive Methodists suffered from poor funding and had trouble building chapels and supporting their ministers. However, growth in the Primitives was strong during the middle part of the 19th century, but declined after 1900 due to a number of factors - competition from other nonconformist denominations and other Methodist branches such as William Booth's Salvation Army and a resurgence in interest for the Anglican church by working classes. In 1932 the Primitives reunified with the Wesleyans and another branch, the United Methodists in what was called the 'Methodist Union'. Today the Methodist Church exists as one church, with some smaller branches, such as The Salvation Army, Church of The Nazarene and the Independent Methodist Connexion remaining as separate organizations. 

Early Methodists In Bentley

The first Wesleyan meetings in Bentley took place under a walnut tree on the village green in about 1790. The village green was a triangular grassy area now occupied by the old Cooke Street school building, latterly converted into apartments. The road layout was different two hundred years ago with the main road from Doncaster to Selby, running up the 'Doncaster Road' (today's High Street) before turning left and then right to run along the present day Chapel and Cooke Streets before heading to Askern and Selby.

1827 Enclosure Map showing the old road layout and the village green.

Indoor meetings took place at the home of Thomas Seaton, a whitesmith of Bentley. Other members included John Fox who ran a starch mill at Little London; Matthew Mallinson; Charles Lister, builder; William and Sarah Blythness; Joseph Smith; Mrs Thorpe of Scawthorpe; Thomas and Edith Townsley; Amos Simpson; George Spurr; Hannah Windle and William Strong.

It is thought that there was eventually a small meeting room or chapel close to the village green. The only reference to it is a mention in a minute book of 1814, where it states that two forms with backs were purchased from the 'old chapel' to 'furnish the new chapel'.

Cooke Street Chapel

The 'new chapel' was built in 1818 on the corner of Cooke Street and Askern Road. It was built on land donated by Sir George Cooke Bt. and built by Charles Lister at a cost of £259. John Payne, schoolmaster of Bentley wrote the following verse which was inscribed on a slab and placed above the entrance:

"Come all who love to praise,

Give thanks and sing for gospel days;

A House is built, a house of prayer -

Come sinners, come, and worship here."

Cooke Street Chapel as it was in 1998

In 1871 a Sunday Schoolroom was built to the rear of the chapel at a cost of £87 15s, Charles Lister laid the foundation stone in a ceremony conducted by the Rev. J Watson in July of that year. George Spurr was secretary at that time. 

The building ceased to be used as a chapel in 1892 and became a joinery workshop, firstly to Mr W Smith and then to a Mr Ron Baker. It was demolished around 2007 and is now the site of an apartment block.

High Street Chapel

In the spring of 1890 it was proposed that a new chapel be built in Bentley. It was either that or spend up to £500 on repairs to the existing building. An expanding population and congregation made the case for a new chapel all the stronger. Fund raising began with a series of events held throughout the following year, this was boosted by generous donations of £300 by Mr Jackson of Scawthorpe Hall, and of land for the new chapel donated by Mr William Chadwick, Squire of Arksey, estimated to be between £300 and £400 in value. It was estimated that the cost of the new chapel would be about £2000.

High Street Chapel about 1910

The site for the new chapel lay in the central part of Bentley, with a proposed entrance on High Street, opposite the entrance to Mill Gate. A Gothic style of architecture was chosen and the building would include a spacious schoolroom to the rear. Old cottages already occupying the site were to be demolished.

High Street chapel services 1906*

Bentley Wesley Guild syllabus 1908 - 09*

The date for laying the memorial stones was fixed for the 4th of June 1891, a day memorable to many if only for the deluge of rain which fell that day. For that reason, the greater part of the ceremony had to take place within the old chapel, with the stones being laid afterward in the pouring rain. The laying of bricks by children and others was postponed until better weather allowed.

Children stood outside Bentley High Street chapel with Mission boxes in 1910.
Photo courtesy of Gill Boothroyd.

The opening ceremony for the new chapel took place in October 1892 and just as on the day of the foundation stone laying, it poured with rain all day. Attendance was good but would have been greater had the weather been more favourable. 

Bank Holiday 17th April 1911 at High Street Chapel*

A sermon was read by the Rev. J. Stringer Rowe of Headingley College, Leeds at the formal opening and afterwards a celebratory tea was provided by the Board School. 

Rev Hopwood (left), Rev Ineson (right)*

The first incumbent minister was Rev. Idwal Hopwood, who presided from 1909 to 1912, when Rev. Percy Ineson took over. The first manse was located at 52 Cooke Street.

Rev. John Goodridge laying the
foundation stone for the
new Sunday School.*

In 1933 a new Sunday School building was added to the rear of the chapel, it was opened on the 26th of April 1934 by Tom Cockin Marsh (of Marsh's Mill) on the occasion of his 87th birthday.

Wedding of Frederick Ogley to Annie Derrick in 1928, Bentley High Street Methodist Church.
Photo courtesy of Suzy Deeley.

High Street chapel in the 1960's

In 1968 the Primitive Methodists amalgamated with the Wesleyans  at High Street and the chapel was renamed 'Bentley Central Methodist Church'.

Demolition

In 1978 planning was passed to demolish the chapel and Sunday schoolrooms. Part of the land was to be sold off to Foundry Housing Association for 16 flats to be built for the elderly. There would also be a smaller worship room for the Methodists.

Mrs Sanders (right) and Nellie Derrick (left)
laying the foundation stone for the new chapel in 1979.
Photo courtesy of Gill Boothroyd.

The foundation stone for the new chapel was laid by Florence Ellen (Nellie) Derrick and Mrs Sanders, overseen by Rev Leslie Shaw, on November the 10th 1979. Also in 1979 the Bentley Road chapel joined the High Street chapel and it was renamed 'The Methodist Church in Bentley'.

Aftermath of the Bentley explosion 2010. Photo courtesy of John Atkins.

In 2007 severe flooding in Bentley damaged the building and services were moved to the schoolroom for a time.

In 2010 the church suffered a degree of damage when a gas explosion ripped through the neighbouring flats. Services were held at Scawthorpe Methodist Church for eleven months while repairs were carried out. The damaged flats were demolished and rebuilt. 

Bentley Central Methodist Church with the rebuilt flats alongside. Google image.

The Primitive Methodists In Bentley

The first recorded chapel for the Primitive Methodists in Bentley is one built in 1857 overlooking the village green, however evidence does point to an earlier chapel on Bentley High Street.

Following their split from the Wesleyan's in 1807, the Primitive Methodists were founded in 1810 and the Bentley group met in a private house for many years. However, in a series called 'Village Sketches, or Hints to Pedestrians', which was published in the Doncaster Gazette (1848/49), there is mention of 'a building that was originally in use of the Primitive Methodists but was in 1849 in use as a National School.' On maps of 1850's Bentley the National School is shown as being located in the small building adjacent to the old Druid's Arms public house on High Street, which now used as an electricity substation. 

Building used by the Primitive Methodists, centre. 

The Primitive Methodists occupied the building on High Street for just a few short years, after which they moved into the meeting room by the village green vacated by the Wesleyans in 1819.

A New Chapel

For some time the Primitives had contemplated the idea of building their own place of worship, but it wasn't until 1857 that the idea was realized. A piece of land in front of the village green was purchased from Mr Henry Spurr for about £30 and in May of that year the foundation stone was laid in a ceremony attended by many. 

The Cooke Street Primitive Methodist Chapel, also known locally as 'Ebenezer Chapel' or 'The Little Prims' was built during the summer of 1857. From the laying of the first stone on May 6th 1857 to the opening ceremony on August 16th, the chapel took just fourteen weeks to complete. A schoolroom was added in 1866.

In 1968, after four years of deliberation, the chapel closed and was amalgamated with the High Street church. The Cooke Street chapel was sold and is now in the use of the Christadelphinians.

Christadelphinian Hall, originally built for the Primitive Methodists in 1857. Google image.

Bentley Road Primitive Methodist Chapel

In 1895 it was decided by the Duke Street Primitive Methodist Circuit (of Doncaster) that religious provision for the inhabitants of Bentley Road should be made. So in 1899 a chapel was built on a plot of land to the east side of Bentley Road, purchased from the trustees of the late John Elwis.

On Easter Monday (7th April) 1899 a parade from Waterdale in Doncaster to Bentley Road took place. Once the procession arrived at the site, memorial stones were laid. Each of the nine stones was inscribed with the name of the persons laying them. Bricks were also laid by other members of the congregation. A tea was held at Doncaster Guild Hall following the ceremony.

The opening ceremony took place on the 16th of August 1899. In 1952 a schoolroom was added, but by 1979 the chapel had closed and the congregation joined Bentley Central. The chapel became an Evangelical Church and later, Mount Hermon Community Church.

Bentley Road Primitive Methodist Chapel

Other Non-conformist Churches In Bentley

Before we move on to the subject of Anglican churches in Bentley, mention should be made of the other religious houses thus far not mentioned. Information on the history of these churches is hard to find, but an acknowledgement of them seems fitting.

Bentley Baptist Church

The Bentley Baptist Church stands on Askern Road, opposite the park. The foundation stone was laid on the 30th of September 1915, and was opened six months later on the 30th of March 1916.

Baptists are Christians who are baptized through belief as opposed to infant baptism. Baptism of adults and young people is usually through complete immersion in water. They subscribe to the belief of salvation through faith, however many Baptists differ in what they believe and how they worship.

Bentley Baptist Church continues to welcome worshipers 102 years after first opening it's doors to the people of Bentley.

Bentley Baptist Church in 1918.

Bentley Pentecostal Church

Just how long the Pentecosts have worshiped in Bentley is hard to determine. What is known is that they originally used the Bentley Air Scout hut on Arksey Lane, with services held there during the 1960's.

Bentley Air Scout hut, from a photo by Ian Barber

They later (probably in the 1970's) had a new church built further up Arksey Lane, on the corner of Balfour Road. What is interesting is that this corner used to house a Salvation Army hall, which is shown on a map of 1931 and is just visible in a photo from the pit disaster funeral parade, again in 1931. It is unclear when this hall was demolished as later maps do not mark it out, so it is unlikely the Pentecosts ever used this building, which was set a little further back than the present church.

Salvation Army Hall as appears on map of 1931.

Salvation Army Hall just visible at top of photo.
Pit disaster funeral procession, Nov 1931.

Cropped and enhanced version of above photo.

The Pentecosts are a movement within Protestant Christianity which adheres to the authority of the Bible, and baptizes in the Holy Spirit so that the Christian can live a spirit filled, empowered life. Spiritual gifts, such as Divine Healing is one empowerment characteristic of Pentecostalism.

The Pentecostal Church continues to attract worshipers to its Arksey Lane building to this day.

Bentley Pentecostal Church

  

Kingdom Hall (Jehovah's Witnesses)

The Bentley branch of Jehovah's Witnesses meet in a 'church' named 'Kingdom Hall' which is sited next to Bentley level crossing on Church Street.

Originally, this piece of land belonged to a railway cottage, named 'Railway View'. In the early 1900's the Goodridge family lived there. William Goodridge was a railway platelayer, and ironically, a Wesleyan class leader. The cottage was demolished in the early 1940's and my own Grandfather, David Percy Breach rented the land for his motor engineering business, which was later taken over by my father. When My father retired in 1997 he sold the land to the Kingdom Hall Trust, who built a meeting hall there. The old garages remained and were either sold or leased to Belmont Motors who occupied premises behind.

For more on the Goodridge family go to When Bentley Stars Shine.

For more on David Breach's motor engineers go to D. P. Breach & Son, Motor engineers.

Railway View in 1914*

  

DP Breach & Son in 1971

Best known for door-to-door preaching, Jehovah's Witnesses beliefs are quite distinctly different from mainstream Christianity, believing in a Christianity restored to a more ancient form of the religion. They do not observe Christmas, Easter, Birthdays or other celebrations they consider to have links to pagan customs. 

Kingdom Hall, Bentley. From Google Streetview.

The Anglican Church In Bentley

The rise of non-conformist churches in Bentley was no doubt fuelled by the parish church being situated in Arksey, necessitating a two and a half mile walk each way. Those unwilling, or unable to make the journey made use of the former National School building next to The Druid's Arms. You will recall that this had previously been in use as a meeting room for the Primitive Methodists up to around 1819. After that it became a National School, but as the room became too overcrowded for mixed age teaching, a new Board School was built on the village green (Cooke Street) in 1877. The Anglican church then took over the building as a Mission Room. 

The 'Mission Room'.

St Peter's Church

Around the same time as the new Wesleyan chapel was being built on the corner of Chapel Street, discussions were taking place about the building of an Anglican church for Bentley. 

The foundation stone was laid on St Peter's Day (which gave its name to the church), the 29th of June 1891.

In 1892 the Mission Room was rebuilt to provide urgently needed extra space for services while the new church was built nearby, a project that would take years to build.

The newly built Mission Church in 1895

The church was built of stone in the Early English style from designs by J. Codd, architect of London, with seating provided for 500. The spire is 120 feet high and the church interior consists of a chancel, nave, tower, north and south porches, and vestries.

The cost of the church was met by Charles Edward Stephen Cooke esq. brother of Sir William Ridley Charles Cooke Bt. of Wheatley Hall, at a cost of £10.000. Four of the bells and a Reredos were presented by his widow Mary Cooke. Other items presented to the church included the clock, given by Mrs Broughton, whose family had long resided in the area, and the church organ and brass eagle lectern, given by Mrs Hatch. The Cooke arms can be seen inside the church. 

St Peter's church and Vicarage from the rear.

The Lord Archbishop of York granted the licence and authority to hold services in the 'Bentley Mission church in the parish of Arksey', on October the 14th 1896. the licence came with certain restrictions though, for example, the reading of Banns and the Solemnisation of marriage was not permitted. It was two years later in 1898 when Bentley became a separate ecclesiastical parish that it was able to perform all Anglican services.

The church was soon joined by a vicarage, and a Church Hall was built by 1914.

St Peter's Church and Church Hall, 1914.

St Philip & St James Church

The beginning of a new century brought many changes to Bentley; the catalyst for change came in 1908 with the opening of Bentley Colliery. Suddenly rural Bentley became a mining town and with it, scores of new miners and their families. Housing for this influx of people was provided by Barber Walker & Co (the colliery owners) with the construction of New Village. Over 400 houses were built by 1911; amenities in the form of shops, a school and recreational facilities were also provided. The only provision not made at this time was something to meet the religious needs of the incumbent families. Central Bentley was within easy reach, and by then a variety of religious houses had opened. The Wesleyan chapel on High Street, the Primitive Methodists on Cooke Street and the fifteen year old St Peter's church provided for the needs of the whole of Bentley. However, New Village did receive its own church just a few years later.

St Philip & St James Church

The South Yorkshire Coalfield Churches Extension Committee were looking to provide religious services for the new colliery districts by raising funds through donations to build churches. A plot of land on Victoria Road was donated by Barber Walker & Co, along with £1000 towards construction, as well as a promise to pay the salary of the new curate.

Parish Magazine of 1966.
Photo courtesy of Janet Roberts.

The church of St Philip & St James, along with a church hall on the opposite side of the road, was built by May 1915. The design of the church matched others in the South Yorkshire Coalfield, such as those at New Edlington, New Rossington and Maltby.

Today, St Philip & St James is part of the Diocese of Sheffield and shares a vicar with All Saint's, Arksey.

Interior of St Philip & St James Church.
Photo courtesy of Janet Roberts.

The Roman Catholic Church In Bentley

The only denomination not mentioned so far is that of the Roman Catholics. Finding any historical information on this Bentley church proved almost impossible, but that is no excuse to leave it out of this article.

Any trace of Roman Catholicism in Bentley before the 1920's is non-existent, so it cannot be determined if there was any such church or meeting place for the Catholic population leading up to that era.

The first mention of a Catholic church opening in Bentley is to be found in the booklet - Bentley Colliery & Bentley New Village, by Dave Fordham - where he mentions the opening of a Roman Catholic Church in the High Street in the 1920's. There is nothing more specific than that. 

The present Catholic church - Our Lady of Perpetual Help - at 54 High Street is a modern building dating from around 1960, so it is likely that the Catholics occupied another building in High Street before the present one was built. 

At around the same time as the Catholic Church opened in Bentley, a Roman Catholic school was also built just off Arksey Lane. With the completion of a new Secondary Modern School next to St Peter's church, it seemed that all Bentley's spiritual and educational needs were fulfilled.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, High Street, Bentley

  

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 Timeline Of Bentley Churches

1790 - The first meetings of the Bentley Wesleyans held under a walnut tree on the village green.

1800 approx - Wesleyan meetings possibly held in a small chapel near the village green.

1810 - Primitive Methodists founded, possibly meeting in a chapel on Doncaster Road (High Street).

1818 - Wesleyan Chapel built on the corner of Cooke Street and Askern Road. Schoolroom added in 1871.

1819 approx - Primitive Methodists possibly move to old Wesleyan Chapel near village green. Old chapel on Doncaster Road (High Street) becomes a National School.

1857 - Primitive Methodist chapel built on Cooke Street, named 'Ebenezer Chapel', or 'Little Prims'. Schoolroom added in 1866.

1877 - Board School built on the village green to replace the National School. Building vacated by the National School (High Street) becomes an Anglican Mission Room.

1891 - Wesleyan Chapel built on High Street, opened 1892. Sunday Schoolroom added in 1933. Building for a new Anglican church, St Peter's gets underway.

1892 - Wesleyan Cooke Street Chapel closed, later becoming a joinery workshop. The Mission Room rebuilt on High Street. 

1896 - St Peter's Church licensed for most services, opens.

1898 - St Peter's fully licensed and Bentley becomes an ecclesiastical parish in its own right.

1899 - Bentley Road Primitive Methodist Chapel opened. Schoolroom added in 1952.

1915 - St Philip and St James Church on Victoria Road opens.

1916 - Bentley Baptist Church opens on Askern Road.

1920's - Roman Catholic Church opens on High Street (not the present building).

1932 - Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists merge to become the Methodist Church of Great Britain.

1960 approx - New Roman Catholic Church built on High Street.

1968 - Cooke Street Primitive Methodists amalgamate with the Wesleyans at High Street to form 'Bentley Central Methodist Church).

1979 - High Street Chapel replaced with new building. Bentley Road Primitive Methodists close their chapel and join High Street, which is renamed 'The Methodist Church in Bentley'.

1998 approx - Kingdom Hall opens on Church Street for the Jehovah's Witnesses.

__________

That concludes our look at the history of churches in Bentley. With life today full of stresses and strains it must be comforting to know that within one of these many houses of worship, there is still a place for quiet reflection, support and community strength.

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*Images are taken with permission, from the book 'The Same Stars Shine', by Ernest N. and John A. Goodridge.

Methodist information taken from the book - '200 Years of Methodism in Bentley', by Glyn Ambrose, available for purchase at Bentley Community Library.




Alison Vainlo 

First written 2018, updated 2020