Then and now: Grantham methodist ironmonger hosted meeting

The Methodist movement, led by John Wesley from Epworth in Lincolnshire, developed in the mid-18th Century.

Congregations were established in nearby Great Gonerby in 1774, and in the following year in Swinegate, in a room of a house belonging to Robert Derry.

Later a room on Elmer Street was used, and the congregation increased after 1781 when John Wesley preached to a large crowd in the town. In 1787 the congregation in Grantham was said to be languishing. Mr Newcombe, an ironmonger, who lived in a house next door to the Angel Inn, used a room at the end of his yard, facing Back Lane (Elmer Street) as a meeting room, when visiting preachers attended.

The room, above his smithy, was accessed by a moveable ladder which was via a narrow passage from Back Lane.

Many pranks were played on them and they had to maintain a watch on the building. A brazier and whitesmith, who rented the smithy on the ground floor, did not share their Methodist views. During their meetings, he would hammer and use the bellows to disrupt the meetings, stating that he had an urgent job to do. The group arranged with Mr Newcombe to evict this tenant and to occupy the whole building.