Methodist allegiance in South Nottinghamshire parishes 1770-1875. PhD thesis, University of ...

459 Pages·2017·7.15 MB·English

by  Christine Middleton

METHODIST ALLEGIANCE IN
SOUTH NOTTINGHAMSHIRE PARISHES
1770-1875

Anne C. Woodcock, BA. LLB. MA.

Thesis submitted to the University of Nottingham
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

July 2015
Abstract

This study considers the nature of Methodist allegiance in four south
Nottinghamshire parishes from the arrival of the denomination in the late
eighteenth or early nineteenth century until about 1875. In this area,
Methodism became strongly established against an inadequate Anglican
church but nevertheless most individuals did not exhibit an exclusive
commitment. Using records from the Newark, subsequently Bingham,
Wesleyan Methodist circuit, relating to the Societies in three medium-sized
villages and one small market town, and looking particularly at Methodist
membership and decisions regarding choice of baptismal rite, the research
shows the existence of both exogenous growth and continuing fluidity of
allegiance from the early period until well beyond the mid-century point of
the religious census. It demonstrates a previously unidentified, significant
turnover in Methodist membership throughout the period, which occurred
irrespective of apparent growth, stability or decline. This lends support to
the growing body of evidence about both varying and dual denominational
allegiance, in particular between the Wesleyan chapel and the parish
church. The research further confirms this phenomenon in relation to
baptismal decisions, where some committed Methodist families continued
to use the Anglican rite and many varied their choice for different children.
In investigating these facets of religious life, the study also establishes the
existence of emerging religious competition during the nineteenth century,
evidenced additionally in competitive church building, service patterns and
the provision of education. Only by the last quarter of the century were
denominational boundaries clearly hardening, particularly in the town of
Bingham, but this thesis demonstrates that until then allegiance was
neither exclusive nor consistent.
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Acknowledgements

I take this opportunity to express my thanks to the many people who have
assisted me: to Professor John Beckett for his valuable guidance and
encouragement; to members of the Methodist Chapel in Cropwell Butler for
originally inspiring the topic and expressing continued interest; to the
Grantham & Vale of Belvoir Methodist circuit and members of other Chapels
for the loan of Chapel deeds and access to various original documents; to
my daughter Becky and her partner Rich for the much appreciated
diversion of grandchildren and crucial technical assistance at various
points; to my son James and his partner Rachel for a wide range of useful
suggestions and for frequently boosting my confidence; and most of all to
my husband David for his advice (and particular assistance on applying the
three-point estimation technique) but more significantly for his love and
support and for patiently enduring over many years the intrusion of my
research into our lives both at home and on holiday.

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Contents

List of Tables iv
List of Figures viii
List of Maps and Illustrations ix
List of Abbreviations x
Introduction 1
Chapter 1: Literature Review 6
Chapter 2: South Nottinghamshire Parishes and Methodology 61
Chapter 3: The Arrival of Methodism 109
Chapter 4: Wesleyan Methodist Consolidation 151
Chapter 5: Religious Competition 207
Chapter 6: Religious Competition in Education 251
Chapter 7: The Religious Census 280
Chapter 8: Competition after the Census 312
Chapter 9: Divided Loyalties 360
Conclusion 413
Bibliography 431

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List of Tables

2.1 Bingham and Rushcliffe Hundreds sorted by population 68
2.2 Comparative Features: Bingham and Rushcliffe Hundreds 78
2.3 Types of Circuit, Chapel and Parish Records 82
2.4 Categories for Record Collections 84
2.5 Selection of Parishes within Bingham and Rushcliffe Hundreds 88

3.1 Flintham Land Tax Division prior to Redemption 115
3.2 Flintham’s Leading Resident Villagers 1794-1814 118
3.3 Cropwell Bishop Land Tax Division prior to Redemption 122
3.4 Cropwell Bishop’s Leading Resident Villagers 1795-1818 125
3.5 Cropwell Butler Land Tax Division prior to Redemption 131
3.6 Cropwell Butler’s Leading Resident Villagers 1775-1815 134
3.7 Bingham Land Tax Division prior to Redemption 140
3.8 Bingham’s Leading Resident Townspeople 1770-1814 144

4.1 Flintham Wesleyan Society Membership Changes 1806-10 158
4.2 Flintham Wesleyan Society: Membership Span of New 159
Members 1809
4.3 Reasons for leaving Flintham Wesleyan Society 1837-1851 160
4.4 Membership Span of Families in Flintham Wesleyan Society 161
1802-1832
4.5 Cropwell Bishop Wesleyan Society Membership Changes 167
1806-10
4.6 Cropwell Bishop Wesleyan Society: Membership Span of New 169
Members 1806

4.7 Reasons for leaving Cropwell Bishop Wesleyan Society 170
1837-1851

4.8 Membership Span of Families in Cropwell Bishop Wesleyan 171
Society 1803-1832

4.9 Cropwell Butler Wesleyan Society Membership Changes 177
1806-10
4.10 Reasons for Leaving Cropwell Butler Wesleyan Society 180
1837-1851

4.11 Membership Span of Families in Cropwell Butler Wesleyan 181
Society 1794-1832

4.12 Bingham Wesleyan Society Membership Changes 1805-09 187
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4.13 Bingham Wesleyan Society: Membership Span of New 190
Members 1805

4.14 Reasons for Leaving Bingham Wesleyan Society 1837-1851 191
4.15 Membership Span of Families in Bingham Wesleyan Society 192
1794-1832

4.16 Type of Growth in Wesleyan Societies up to 1830 199
4.17 Turnover in Membership in Wesleyan Societies 1837-1851 202

5.1 Service Pattern in Flintham 1841-1851 215
5.2 Accommodation in Places of Worship in Flintham 1801-1851 215
5.3 Changes in Baptismal Practices of Flintham Wesleyan 217
Methodists 1832-1863

5.4 Service Pattern in Cropwell Bishop 1841-1851 220
5.5 Accommodation in Places of Worship in Cropwell Bishop 221
1801-1851

5.6 Changes in Baptismal Practices of Cropwell Bishop Wesleyan 222
Methodists 1841-1866

5.7 Service Pattern in Cropwell Butler and Tithby 1841-1851 228
5.8 Accommodation in Places of Worship in Cropwell Butler 229
and Tithby 1801-1851

5.9 Changes in Baptismal Practices of Cropwell Butler Wesleyan 231
Methodists 1833-1857

5.10 Service Pattern in Bingham 1841-1851 238
5.11 Accommodation in Places of Worship in Bingham 1801-1851 239
5.12 Changes in Baptismal Practices of Bingham Wesleyan 241
Methodists 1831-1865

5.13 Bingham Wesleyan Methodists using only Methodist Baptism 243
1796-1853

5.14 Wesleyan Families using Methodist Baptisms Exclusively: 247
First Baptism up to 1855

5.15 Wesleyan Families varying Baptismal Practice up to 1855 248

7.1 Mann: Comparison of Bingham Attendances 1851 282
7.2 Inglis: Comparison of Bingham Attendances 1851 283
7.3 Pickering: Comparison of Bingham Attendances 1851 283
7.4 Watts: Comparison of Bingham Attendances 1851 284

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7.5 Formulae for Comparing Bingham Attendances 1851 as 284
Percentage of Total Population

7.6 Bingham Attendances 1851 using Three Point 285
Estimation Technique

7.7 Comparison of Flintham Attendances 1851 288
7.8 Service Pattern in Flintham 1851 291
7.9 Comparison of Cropwell Bishop Attendances 1851 292
7.10 Service Pattern in Cropwell Bishop 1851 294
7.11 Comparison of Cropwell Butler and Tithby Attendances 1851 296
7.12 Service Pattern in Cropwell Butler and Tithby 1851 299
7.13 Comparison of Bingham Attendances 1851 301
7.14 Service Pattern in Bingham 1851 304
7.15 Comparison of Attendances as Percentage of Population 305
7.16 Comparison of Anglican and Combined Methodist Attendances 306
as Percentage of Population

7.17 Comparison between Wesleyan Methodist Likely and Actual 308
Attendance

7.18 Comparison of Points of Competing Services 308
7.19 Comparison of Number of Services 309

8.1 Flintham Wesleyan Membership and Population 1851-1881 315
8.2 Reasons for leaving Flintham Wesleyan Society 1851-1875 316
8.3 Flintham Primitive Membership and Population 1851-1881 318
8.4 Cropwell Bishop Wesleyan Membership and Population 324
1851-1881

8.5 Reasons for leaving Cropwell Bishop Wesleyan Society 325
1851-1875

8.6 Cropwell Butler Wesleyan Membership and Population 331
1851-1881

8.7 Reasons for leaving Cropwell Butler Wesleyan Society 332
1851-1875

8.8 Bingham Wesleyan Membership and Population 1851-1881 340
8.9 Reasons for leaving Bingham Wesleyan Society 1851-1875 341
8.10 Membership and Population Changes in Wesleyan and 353
One Primitive Society 1851-1881

8.11 Turnover in Membership in Wesleyan Societies 1851-1875 354

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9.1 Flintham Leading Wesleyan Methodists 1850-1875 364
9.2 Changes in Baptismal Practices of Flintham Wesleyan 365
Methodists 1850-1882

9.3 Exclusive Baptismal Practices of Flintham Wesleyan 368
Methodists 1850-1874

9.4 Cropwell Bishop Leading Wesleyan Methodists 1850-1875 371
9.5 Changes in Baptismal Practices of Cropwell Bishop 374
Wesleyan Methodists 1850-1881

9.6 Exclusive Baptismal Practices of Cropwell Bishop Wesleyan 376
Methodists 1850-1888

9.7 Cropwell Butler Leading Wesleyan Methodists 1850-1875 380
9.8 Changes in Baptismal Practices of Cropwell Butler 382
Wesleyan Methodists 1850-1879

9.9 Exclusive Baptismal Practices of Cropwell Butler Wesleyan 385
Methodists 1850-1876

9.10 Changes in Baptismal Practices of Cropwell Butler Primitive 388
Methodists 1850-1880

9.11 Exclusive Baptismal Practices of Cropwell Butler Primitive 389
Methodists 1850-1877

9.12 Bingham Leading Wesleyan Methodists 1850-1875 392
9.13 Changes in Baptismal Practices of Bingham Wesleyan 395
Methodists 1850-1883

9.14 Exclusive Baptismal Practices of Bingham Wesleyan 398
Methodists 1850-94

9.15 Comparison of Families using Wesleyan Methodist Baptism 406
1850-1875

9.16 Comparison of Wesleyan Methodist Families using only 406
Anglican Baptism 1850-1875

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List of Figures

4.1 Flintham Wesleyan Membership 1802-1851 156
4.2 Flintham Wesleyan Society Membership Span 1802-1832 157
4.3 Cropwell Bishop Wesleyan Membership 1805-1851 166
4.4 Cropwell Bishop Wesleyan Society Membership Span 168
1800-1832
4.5 Cropwell Butler Wesleyan Membership 1794-1851 176
4.6 Cropwell Butler Wesleyan Society Membership Span 178
1794-1832
4.7 Bingham Wesleyan Membership 1794-1851 186
4.8 Bingham Wesleyan Society Membership Span 1794-1832 188
4.9 Comparison of Membership of Wesleyan Societies 1840-1851 198
4.10 Comparison of Length of Membership in Wesleyan Societies 201
1794-1832

7.1 Flintham Total Attendances as Percentage of Population 289
7.2 Flintham Denominational Attendances as Percentage 290
of Population
7.3 Cropwell Bishop Total Attendances as Percentage 293
of Population
7.4 Cropwell Bishop Denominational Attendances as Percentage 294
of Population
7.5 Cropwell Butler and Tithby Total Attendances as Percentage 298
of Population
7.6 Cropwell Butler and Tithby Denominational Attendances as 298
Percentage of Population

7.7 Bingham Total Attendances as Percentage of Population 302
7.8 Bingham Denominational Attendances as Percentage 303
of Population

8.1 Flintham Wesleyan Membership 1851-1875 314
8.2 Flintham Primitive Membership 1859-1875 318
8.3 Cropwell Bishop Wesleyan Membership 1851-1875 323
8.4 Cropwell Butler Wesleyan Membership 1851-1875 330
8.5 Bingham Wesleyan Membership 1851-1875 338
8.6 Wesleyan Membership 1851-1875 352
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List of Maps and Illustrations

Maps
2.1 Bingham and Rushcliffe Hundreds within Nottinghamshire 67
2.2 Bingham and Rushcliffe Hundreds: Population in 1851 71
2.3 Bingham and Rushcliffe Hundreds: Population Density in 1851 72
2.4 Bingham and Rushcliffe Hundreds: Landownership in 1873 74
2.5 Bingham and Rushcliffe Hundreds: Dissent in 1851 76
2.6 Parishes Selected for In-Depth Study 90
2.7 Revised Selection of Parishes 93
2.8 Location of the Four Villages and Bingham 94
2.9 Flintham, showing Church, Chapels and Schools 97
2.10 Cropwell Bishop, showing Church, Wesleyan Chapel and 100
Board School
2.11 Cropwell Butler, showing Chapel of Ease, Methodist Chapels 103
and School
2.12 Tithby, showing Church 104
2.13 Bingham, showing Church, Chapels and Schools 107

Illustrations
6.1 Inscription on First Page of Family Bible 262
8.1 Former Independent Primitive Methodist Chapel, Bingham 345
8.2 Plaque on Former Independent Primitive Methodist Chapel, 345
Bingham

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