This
website has a history of the Methodist congregations in Todmorden.
"The Todmorden Methodists with a Wesleyan persuasion first met in 1748 at Chapel House in the town. In 1783, the congregation moved to a purpose built chapel at Mount Pleasant, Doghouse, in Todmorden, and the following year on July 12th they were treated to a visit from John Wesley himself. This chapel was on land owned by Samuel Fielden as part of the White Hart Inn Estate that was sold to John Greenwood of Langfield, a Quaker, in 1786. For many years, the congregation would meet at this chapel for prayers and a service and then walk down the hill to St. Mary's to listen to the sermon.
The congregation grew over the years and by 1820, the building was too small to accommodate all the worshippers. A temporary place of worship was in a building on the site of the present Town Hall and that served its purpose until 1827 when a new chapel and Sunday school were ready on York Street.
Traditionally, the Methodists were inclined to fall out in the 19th century, and it was no different at York Street. A group, disenchanted with the internal workings of the chapel, broke away to form their own Society in 1837. They met in the Sunday school for a while, later moving to the Mechanics Institute and then to their own new chapel, Bridge Street United Free Methodist Chapel.
Back at York Street, there was a major refurbishment to the Sunday school and Chapel in 1837 that lasted until 1906. In that year, a new Sunday school was built, which is now the present Central Methodist Church in Todmorden.
The first stone of the new school was laid by Caleb Hoyle JP., the first Mayor of Todmorden, on 6th. May 1906, and two stones were laid on behalf of the Sunday School by the two Superintendents, James A. Hirst and Samuel Dawson on 23rd. June 1906. The remainder of the corner stones were laid by other members of the Congregation, whose names are engraved in the stone."
The building also has two date plaques high on the building including one from the previous school.
The old date plaque from previous building
WESLEYAN SCHOOL
BUILT 1846
ENLARGED 1870
The date plaque for this building
NEW SCHOOL
ERECTED
1906
The foundation stone
THIS STONE
WAS LAID BY
GALEB HOYLE J.P.
FIRST MAYOR OF TODMORDEN
MAY 6th 1906
foundation stone on left of the entrance
THIS STONE
WAS LAID
ON BEHALF OF THE
SUNDAY SCHOOL
BY THE
SUPERINTENDENT
JAMES A HIRST
JUNE 23rd
1906
foundation stone on right of the entrance
THIS STONE
WAS LAID
ON BEHALF OF THE
SUNDAY SCHOOL
BY THE
SUPERINTENDENT
SAM DAWSON
JUNE 23rd
1906