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John Wesley

Thursday 9th September, 2010

John Wesley came to Wigan on several occasions during the latter part of the 18th century. He did not describe the town but on several occasions he referred to the fact that its inhabitants were thought to be “wicked”.

These are some of his comments made during his various visits:

“...Wigan, a town wicked to a proverb...”

“...Wigan proverbially famous for its wickedness...”

“Most of the congregation were wild as wild might be...”

“... Wigan, for many years proverbially called, wicked Wigan...”

John Wesley (1703-1791) and his younger brother Charles are usually credited with the foundation of Methodism. John spread his religious ideas by travelling extensively - both in this country and the United States, often preaching in the open air. He made his last visit to Wigan in 1790 when he was aged 87.

As many of his ideologies were contrary to those of the established church his meetings were often attended by his critics. Also, a religious leader preaching out of doors, would inevitably be a target for unsavoury elements of the population who were looking for any excuse to indulge in mob violence.

It is not surprising, therefore, that many of Wesley's meetings were punctuated with disturbances. This extract from his diary is typical of many:

“Thursday 12 (September 1745) I came to Leeds, preached at five, and at eight met the society; after which the mob pelted us with dirt and stones, a great part of the way home.”

So did Wesley receive a hostile reception in our area?

It appears not. His journal entry for his first visit here (9th May, 1759) says:

“I rode to Downall Green near Wigan, a town wicked to a proverb... but in a short time the word of God prevailed and all their fierceness melted away.”

Similarly on 13th July, 1764 he states:

“At 10 I began to preach in Wigan proverbially famous for its wickedness. As I preached abroad (in the open) we expected some disturbance. But there was none at all. A few were wild at first, but in a little while grew quiet and attentive. I did not find so civil a congregation the first time I visited Bolton.”

And again on Wednesday 6th April, 1768:

“About eleven I preached at Wigan in a place near the middle of the town which I suppose was formerly a playhouse (in The Wiend). It was very full and very warm. Most of the congregation were wild as wild might be; yet none made the least disturbance. Afterward, as I walked down the street, they stared sufficiently; but none said an uncivil word.”

He compares his Wigan congregation favourably with the one he addressed at Liverpool later that day who “...did not behave with so much good manners as the mob at Wigan.”

It appears that, generally speaking, the people of Wigan listened well to Wesley and embraced his teachings.

There were, however, some instances of violence directed against early Wigan Methodists.

Hartley and Gaskell in their book about the Methodist Church at Lamberhead Green quote a Mr. Poulton who tells of “persecution suffered by the parents of Margaret Ashcroft – whose house at Far-moor was converted into a preaching-room.”

The same book also states:

“The mob used to go from one place to another if they could hear of a preaching. They actually led Mr. Samuel Woodcock (Circuit Preacher in 1771) to the Market Place in a halter to the bull ring, and treated him shamefully.”

On Wesley's last visit to Wigan on Friday 9th April, 1790 he found that the inhabitants had mellowed somewhat. This is his journal entry for that date:

“Friday 9th (April 1790) We went to Wigan, for many years proverbially called, wicked Wigan: But it is not now what it was: The inhabitants in general have taken a softer mold. The House in the evening was more than filled; and all that could get in seemed to be greatly affected, while I strongly applied our Lord’s words, 'I will; be thou clean.'”

There is an interesting story in Hartley and Gaskell's book about a 14 year old Methodist in Lamberhead Green named William Atherton, who wished to go to hear Wesley on this occasion.

His father was reluctant to allow the boy to stay out so late on a week night, so he hid his shoes. The enterprising lad, however, overcame the problem by attending the event in his clogs.

Wesley suspected that night that his congregation were “greatly affected”. Certainly this was true in the case of young William who joined the Methodist ministry in 1797 and continued his work for fifty-three years.

Lamberhead Green

Lamberhead Green (pictures)