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The Methodist Church in Cumbria

Keswick and Cockermouth Circuit

Bassenthwaite Church

National Methodist Website

Bassenthwaite, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 4QP

The village of Bassenthwaite lies about a mile north-east of Bassenthwaite Lake. The Methodist Church is close to the village green.

Sunday services at 11.00, occasionally a shared service at St John's Anglican Church (NY229316) on the edge of the village.

History

The Bassenthwaite Methodists have a long history of co-operation beginning in an era when this was unusual. Wesleyans began a cause in 1839 with two members, and one 'On Trial'. One of their early meeting places was in a farmhouse at Scarness, by Bassenthwaite Lake, but soon after 1843 they began to meet in the village at Robert Briscoe's house.

By 1861 the membership threw their lot in with a Primitive Methodist cause in the village which was building a chapel there, which opened in 1868. However, the Wesleyans' services began again in 1879, meeting at Dyke Nook Farm.

When in 1882, these Wesleyans bought the Primitive's building for £75, one can only presume that the latter's numbers were down, though by 1887 Wesleyan membership was only 4 and only rose above that figure in 1906. Happily the membership is much stronger today.

The premises bought in 1882 were extended in the 1930s with the addition of a schoolroom.

Most Sundays there are visitors in the congregation, and organ music is often supplemented with other instruments.

The present membership of the church is 33.

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