Methodist Chapels
Following inspiring visits to
Essex by John Wesley in the 18th century and the new
evangelical mood sweeping rural England Methodism took a
strong hold in Eastern Essex.
During the early
19th century divisions within the Methodist movement
entailed a split into two groups of Methodism that had
the same basic beliefs on religion although different
interpretations of way to worship. In 1861 the
Peoples History of Essex listed 59 Wesleyan Chapels in
Essex including chapels at Burnham and Latchingdon. This villages and
towns could have a Wesleyan Methodist Church and a
Primitive Wesleyan Church. Eastern Essex was
noted for it's strong evangelical zeal and followed the
Primitive Methodist Route with chapels in the below
locations belonging to the Maldon Primitive Methodist
Circuit. Althorne Bradwell on Sea Burnham on Crouch Mayland Mundon Purleigh Tillingham
After some
negotiation the Wesleyan Methodists and the Primitive
Methodists joined together with the local churches
remanded the Maldon Methodist Circuit and in 1970
further amalgamation took place with the Maldon and
Chelmsford Circuits joining together. The Congregational
Church offered partnership with the Presbyterian Church
and to the Methodists. Whilst the official Methodist
Church remained separate albeit with close links many of
the smaller churches chose to amalgamate with
Congregational Churches where these were situated in
close proximity. All of the
existing Methodist Churches in Eastern Essex are now
redundant or have amalgamated with the Congregational
Church to form a new URC Chapel. The nearest
independent chapel is at Maldon.
Burnham Methodist Chapel - Now
a private house
Althorne
Methodist Chapel - Now a private house
