Chinley

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Description of Chinley & White Knowle Methodist Church

The Methodist church of White Knowle is the mother church to that of Chinley. Methodism was brought to this area by the Rev. David Taylor. Services were first held in cottages until the chapel was built in 1809, but there are no known records for this time.

The chapel was built for the agricultural workers before the advent of the railway, and was a central place for the scattered farmsteads. The land on which the chapel stands was sold to the trustees by John Goddard, for 10 shillings, and was in fact a gift.

In the early years, those who wanted to attend Sunday School went to Hayfield or Chapel-en-le-Frith. In 1833, Ralph Harrison began a Sunday School in his own home, 'Ausworth House', New Smithy. He built a new Sunday School in 1858 at his own expense, and a few years later a Day School was added to the same building. The School was enlarged in 1868.

When the Midland Railway Company extended their line, the School was demolished to make way for the railway and a new one built at Four Lane Ends in 1904.

Mr. Ernest Harrison was the first to be buried at White Knowle, in 1871, but there is no gravestone.

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