Day 2

Caravan catastrophe averted!!

Woke up to rain and the news that the Tories had won the election. For some reason the mains power in the caravan keeps cutting out... cannot trace problem... maybe we will have to return home as we cannot survive without the electric kettle! Tried to contact caravan repairer, no reply, so instead we set off for Mow Cop and Englesea Brook, the home of the beginnings of Primitive Methodists.

Mow Cop

Mow Cop Castle

Wesleyan Methodist Church

We climbed up a windy path to Mow Cop Castle (now owned by the National Trust)  where in 1807 a group of local revivalists, led by Hugh Bourne, a local wheelwright organised England's first "Camp Meeting" in a field below, near Memorial Church built in 1862. Inspired by the American evangelist Lorenzo 'Crazy' Dow. Such 'ranter' preachers led to the formation of a splinter group known as the 'Primitive Methodists'. 1000 people attended Bourne's Camp Meeting, but they were expelled from the Wesleyan Methodist Church in the process of getting back to Wesley's field preaching

Mow Cop Memorial Chapel

Englesea Brook

Englesea Brook was one of the earliest preaching places for the new Primitive Methodist Connexion.

A cottage belonging to a farm laborer's wife, Sarah Smith became the meeting place. One of those converted at this time was James Clifton who is buried in the graveyard, along with Hugh Bourne in 1852. It is claimed that 16,000 people lined the route of his funeral cortege.

We explored the chapel and Museum that we built in 1828 when the cottage became to small unnoticed, managing not to set off the alarm! David tried the pulpit out for size.

One was surprise was the discovery of the "Brinkworth Stove"! - Brinkworth Chapel was once part of the Chippenham Circuit. Closed many years ago the old stove has found its way to Englesea Brook Chapel - Methodism is indeed a small world.

Just as we were finishing we were spotted and invited to go into the "back room" for coffee. This provided Anne the chance to talk with the archivist about her Methodist ancestors, not only that but a quick check through their records, two were found in the old minutes of conference!

As it was still raining, lunch in the car before getting back to the campsite. Another phone call to the Caravan repair man, who an hour later turned up ... not sure what the problem was as all seemed to be working and his test meter showed no problems.. not convinced so we decided to change the consumer unit. Good job as when the cover was removed the circuit breakers had started to melt and burn out. Another few hours and maybe the caravan might have gone to the great caravan home in the sky, together  with our possessions.
Our thanks to Phil and Dawn for sorting this out for us with good humour ... No coffee out for a few days to cover the cost, but then we could be looking at a new caravan!

Tomorrow off to remember VE day.