Asbury Celebrations 200

After visiting the Methodist Heritage stand at WDYTYA Live at the NEC yesterday, today we make the most of being in the "Black Country" with visits to Wednesbury, Forge Mill Farm and Queens College.Charles Wesley came to Wednesbury in 1742 and preached at Holloway Bank, making several converts who met regularly, and Charles encouraged his brother John to come and preach. John's first visit to Wednesbury took place on Friday 7th January, 1743, during the evening he gave a sermon at the Market Cross building.

John returned in May that year to find that hostility fuelled by the Parish Church vicar, Edward Egginton and the first of several riots began by mobs funded by Eggington, Methodist houses were targeted. A plea for help to the local magistrate fell on deaf ears.

Wednesbury Riots

John returned on 20th October, 1743 and preached from the now famous “horse block” at the High Bullen (in reality a flight of steps leading to the upper floor of a malt house) without incident. He stayed at Francis Ward, a local Methodist leader but while he was there the mob arrived, but soon moved on. He now felt it was time to leave, but was persuaded not to do so.

By 5 o’clock the mob returned and surrounded the cottage with cries of “Bring out the minister!” The mob’s leader entered the cottage to see Wesley and soon quietened down. Wesley then went out to talk to the crowd who asked him to go with them to see the magistrate at Bentley Hall. He consented to do so and along with some of his colleagues and the crowd of 300 or so they proceeded to see Mr. Lane at Bentley Hall. Mr. Lane told them to go home and be quiet, but this was not good enough for the crowd who then escorted Wesley to see another magistrate, Mr. Persehouse in Walsall.

Mr. Persehouse had retired for the night and so the crowd decided to go home. At this point they were attacked by a mob from Walsall, into whose hands Wesley fell. His captors were very hostile and while they were deciding what to do next, Wesley began to pray aloud. The leader of the mob was so moved by his words that he had a change of heart and they let Wesley and his friends go. That night they returned to Wednesbury after having a lucky escape!

St Barts church - Church Hill

On the morning of Monday 6th February Wesley was once again in the town accompanied  by James Jones a fellow Methodist preacher.  He found his fellow Methodists in prayer, having heard that a mob would arrive the next day from Darlaston and elsewhere to plunder the house of every Methodist in the town.At 8 o’clock the next morning Jones addressed his fellow Methodists, and as he was doing so the news came that the mob had already entered the town and had began to break into the houses. James Jones hid and left for Birmingham early the next day. The mob entered each of the leading Methodist’s houses, breaking windows and window frames, smashing everything inside and generally wrecking the place. Anything of value was taken away. No resistance was offered and most people fled.

The mob’s ring leaders threatened to sack any of their employees who did not join them in the riot and offered to cease rioting if the members of the Methodist Society would sign an undertaking to never invite or receive Methodist preachers again. They did not receive a single signature.

 Eventually things began to quiet down, and  Wesley visited and preached peacefully in the town on several later occasions. On 15th March, 1761 he preached before a crowd of between 8,000 and 10,000 people in Monway Field.

Wesley Centre

A Stone memorial and plaque now mark the spot on which John Wesley preached at High Bullen, and in "Wesley Centre which is part of Spring Head Methodist Church stands the old “horse block” from on which Wesley used to preach.

Forge Mill Farm

We journey from Wednesbury to Forge Mill Farm, set in the Sandwell valley. The farm is the site of a former Old Forge,  During the 17th century the Forge was one of several such forges along the valley. It was here that a young Francis Asbury started his apprenticeship as a nailer at the age of 13. The mill was thought to be around for centuries, quite possibly the Priory Mill  for the nearby Catholic monastery. During the time of Francis Asbury, the  Forge was one of the largest in the area and was heavily involved with the ironworking industry.

Forge Mill Farm

However it was at  the age of fifteen, Francis Asbury became involved and joined the Methodist Society. By the age of seventeen, Francis Asbury began as a local preacher at the West Bromwich Methodist Meeting house. The year following, 1763, Francis Asbury became the leader of the Society Class at West Bromwich Heath. He held this position until he was an official itinerant Methodist preacher in 1767. It was the friend of Francis Asbury, James Mayo, who started at the old Forge at the same time, who was going to be appointed to succeed the leadership of this class when Francis Asbury was admitted to the traveling circuits.

Site of the old waterwheel

A visit to Queen's College (Now Queen's Foundation), where I studied for Ministry back in the late 1980's rounded off the day. 

My Study was the far, end wall window in the furthest building (over the library) which I shared for three years with Phil Summers, of Applecart fame.