Boylestone Methodist Church

Boylestone, a hamlet set in superb Derbyshire countryside, was one of the very early centres of Primitive Methodist activity, partly under the leadership of Mary Dunnell.

A strong case has been made for believing that the earliest Primitive Methodist Chapel within the whole of the Primitive Methodist Connexion was built at Boylestone in 1811 – a few weeks ahead of the one at Tunstall.

The present chapel, opened in January 1847 by Hugh Bourne, is a successor to the original. 2014 marked the bi-centenary of the first Sunday School within Primitive Methodism, which was established at Boylestone in 1814.

This claim is undisputed as the Sunday School at Tunstall under James Steele had its origins within Wesleyan Methodism.