Methodism in Otley

	Methodism sprang up in Otley around 1740, largely due to the impassioned preaching of John Nelson, a stonemason from Birstall. The road in front of the Post Office still bears his name.
	The early Methodists met first at Green Lane near the old railway line (the picture to the left is an artist impression of the fist meeting place) and then built their first chapel on the site of HSBC in Nelson Street in 1771. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was to preach here and to visit Otley on a score of occasions during his tireless journeys on horseback round the country. He developed a warm friendship with the Ritchie family and a plaque may be seen outside their former home, in Boroughgate.
	Methodist numbers grew phenomenally and a bigger Chapel was built in 1825, now part of Chevin Court Finally, the present Chapel was erected in Boroughgate in 1875 with a seating capacity of a thousand.
	Offshoots from the main Wesleyan movement began to appear in Otley in the 19^th century. ‘The New Connexion’ Methodists built a Chapel in Walkergate and a later one in Westgate, now a car park. The Primitive Methodists built a Chapel, now the Salvation Army Citadel, and a larger one in Station Road. There were also two Mission Halls, the Craven Street Mission and the Otley and Wharfedale Mission. From the latter sprang the Bethel Gospel Mission.
	Our Church today. Following the two World Wars church attendances dwindled and by 1965 all Methodists in Otley were meeting at the main Church in Boroughgate. In the early seventies the Church was modernised, introducing glass doors at the front and a large foyer. Ceilings were lowered and the sanctuary redecorated. We have completed a Ł300,000 redevelopment scheme in the last year. The Methodist Church in Otley now has fewer than 200 members, but apart from worship services, its premises are well used by pre-school, Mothers and Toddlers, the uniformed organisations, youth clubs and Link (youth fellowship) as well as Bible Study, Fellowship Meetings and Badminton. Other groups and agencies including the Talking Newspaper, Chippendale Singers, Wayzgoose Border Morris Dancers, Bridge Club, Towns Women's Guild and Blood Donor Unit make use of the premises. The Mission of the Methodist Church is to share the love of Jesus Christ with all the community. Our Purpose as a witnessing community of Christians is to share our faith. For over 250 years the Methodist people have worshipped and served the community of Otley. It is our hope that we will continue to serve Jesus as his disciples well into the 21^st Century.

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