Methodism in Belper

Methodism arrived in Belper around 1770, with early services being held outside in the Market Place, at a butcher’s shop in Wellington Court and in the cottage next to where the chapel now stands. The first chapel was built in the cottage garden in 1781, and it has been claimed John Wesley, founder of Methodism, preached there before the roof was in place, although no mention of it is made in his diaries. He was certainly in Belper five years later, preaching in the Market Place before leading a procession down to the chapel.

The congregation rapidly grew, so a new chapel was built, the present building, officially opening on 28 June 1807. This was known as the Trinity Methodist Chapel. It only became the Central Methodist after it combined with the falling congregations of Field Head Chapel on Chesterfield Road and Salem Chapel on Green Lane in 1965. The other chapels closed and were soon demolished.

George Brettle and Company

From Chapel Street you can see the fine Georgian-style frontage of George Brettle and Company, built between May 1834 and June 1835. George Brettle and Company were once one of the UK’s biggest hosiery and knitwear producers, with sites in Belper and London. They produced stockings for Queen Victoria, with a fine black floral design, hand-sewn – or ‘chevened’ – onto her black stockings.

Courtaulds bought Brettles in 1964 and closed the site in May 1987. Much of it was demolished for a retail park, but the main building survives, now occupied by the De Bradelei Mill retail outlet.