Arbroath Methodism: The Story of Wesley's Totum Kirkie' by G.W. Davis

Publication of manuscript of 'Arbroath Methodism: The Story of Wesley's Totum Kirkie', written by G.W Davis. George W. Davis was born in Frosterley, Weardale. He became an engineer and then spent some time lecturing in a technical college, before becoming an accredited local preacher in 1941. After returning from his service in the RAF during the Second World War, he became a junior circuit steward for ten years; subsequently becoming senior circuit steward and then being responsible for the circuit's finance. In Weardale he was a member of the boards of Trustees for a manse and two chapels. Davis moved to Arbroath in 1985, after spending some of his retirement as one half of a team minstry with Rev. Michael Prowting in the Methodist Church in Coundon. It was here where he became interested in local church history, and joined the North-East Branch of the Wesley Historical Society. After moving to Arbroath, Davis became the secretary/treasurer of the Scottish Branch of the same society.

The centres for the establishment and expansion of Methodism in Scotland were at the four main circuits of Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. Methodism was at its strongest in Scotland along the East Coast, the South-West and in the Forth/Clyde Valley. Methodism was introduced to Arbroath in 1768 by the itinerant preacher for Dundee, Thomas Cherry. John Wesley visited in 1770 and found a thriving group of around seventy members. By the time of his second visit in 1772, he could formally open a new Meeting House, which, like many Methodist churches, was octagonal in shape. Initially part of the Aberdeen and then the Dundee Circuits, the Arbroath and Montrose circuit was established in 1810. The Wesleyan Church, a minister's cottage, garden plots, stabling and outhouses were all built on land at Ponderlaw Street which was part of the Carmichael Mortification. The continual raising of loans on the property by the Trustees meant that the Arbroath Methodists were plagued by debt, a situation which was not fully resolved until the beginning of the 1860s. At the beginning of the twentieth century, a new manse was purchased in Seaton Road; part of the cost was met by St. John's Methodist Church, Glasgow, so as a gesture of appreciation, the Wesleyan Chapel was renamed St. John's Methodist Church. Despite the financial problems of the nineteenth century and their legal ramifications, the congregation in Arbroath initiated a programme of expansion from 1883, which focused on the modification and extension of the Chapel itself and the building of a hall in 1896. This was necessary to accommodate groups such as the Sunday School which in 1881 had at least 70 scholars. Although part of the same circuit, the chapels at Montrose and Arbroath never appeared to be particularly close. Montrose built their first church in 1814 with a seating capacity of 200, but the earliest surviving record of joint circuit meetings occurs in 1869 when meetings of the Trustees were held alternately at Arbroath and Montrose. However, financial issues were dealt with separately from 1875 and in 1878 it was decided that the congregation in Montrose should have their own minister, and the members requested that the Montrose and Arbroath circuits be separated. By 1921 the Synod agreed that Montrose and Arbroath, along with Blairgowrie, should form three independent single church circuits. From this time, Arbroath and Montrose were known as the East Coast Mission, but as they were financially independent of each other and with ministers only exchanging preaching duties one Sunday per quarter, the title was purely nominal. The Church and Circuit reconstruction of 1976 did see the two working together again as one circuit and by the 1990s financial difficulties dictated the removal of a resident minister from Arbroath from which time the circuit superintendent was stationed in Montrose.

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The centres for the establishment and expansion of Methodism in Scotland were at the four main circuits of Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. Methodism was at its strongest in Scotland along the East Coast, the South-West and in the Forth/Clyde Valley. Methodism was introduced to Arbroath in 1768 by the itinerant preacher for Dundee, Thomas Cherry. John Wesley visited in 1770 and found a thriving group of around seventy members. By the time of his second visit in 1772, he could formally open a new Meeting House, which, like many Methodist churches, was octagonal in shape. Initially part of the Aberdeen and then the Dundee Circuits, the Arbroath and Montrose circuit was established in 1810. The Wesleyan Church, a minister's cottage, garden plots, stabling and outhouses were all built on land at Ponderlaw Street which was part of the Carmichael Mortification. The continual raising of loans on the property by the Trustees meant that the Arbroath Methodists were plagued by debt, a situation which was not fully resolved until the beginning of the 1860s. At the beginning of the twentieth century, a new manse was purchased in Seaton Road; part of the cost was met by St. John's Methodist Church, Glasgow, so as a gesture of appreciation, the Wesleyan Chapel was renamed St. John's Methodist Church. Despite the financial problems of the nineteenth century and their legal ramifications, the congregation in Arbroath initiated a programme of expansion from 1883, which focused on the modification and extension of the Chapel itself and the building of a hall in 1896. This was necessary to accommodate groups such as the Sunday School which in 1881 had at least 70 scholars. Although part of the same circuit, the chapels at Montrose and Arbroath never appeared to be particularly close. Montrose built their first church in 1814 with a seating capacity of 200, but the earliest surviving record of joint circuit meetings occurs in 1869 when meetings of the Trustees were held alternately at Arbroath and Montrose. However, financial issues were dealt with separately from 1875 and in 1878 it was decided that the congregation in Montrose should have their own minister, and the members requested that the Montrose and Arbroath circuits be separated. By 1921 the Synod agreed that Montrose and Arbroath, along with Blairgowrie, should form three independent single church circuits. From this time, Arbroath and Montrose were known as the East Coast Mission, but as they were financially independent of each other and with ministers only exchanging preaching duties one Sunday per quarter, the title was purely nominal. The Church and Circuit reconstruction of 1976 did see the two working together again as one circuit and by the 1990s financial difficulties dictated the removal of a resident minister from Arbroath from which time the circuit superintendent was stationed in Montrose.

Description compiled by Jade Kettles, September 2017

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