Methodist Records
The Methodist movement was founded in the eighteenth century by John Wesley (1703 - 1791). There have been several different forms of Methodism to which individual churches and chapels have belonged, such as Wesleyan, Primitive, Methodist New Connexion and the United Methodist Free Church.
Methodist churches are grouped into circuits, which organise worship for congregations and pastoral care.
Nottinghamshire Archives holds a large number of records for Methodist churches and chapels in Nottinghamshire, as well as circuit records.
Many Methodist records are on restricted access, so not all documents can be consulted by the public without prior permission. Contact us for more information.
Main groups of documents
Quarterly meeting minutes
Committee minutes
Circuit registers
Circuit accounts
Circuit schedules
Circuit plans
Registers of baptisms, marriages and burials
Plans of chapels
How to find the document you want
Main groups of documents include:
Quarterly meeting minutes
Coverage: late 19th - early 20th centuries
Minutes of Circuit meetings held quarterly throughout the year. Some are indexed.
Committee minutes
Coverage: late 19th - mid 20th centuries
Minutes of various committee meetings, including Ministers' Houses, Local Preachers, Circuit Festivals and individual church committees.
Circuit registers
Coverage: 19th - 20th centuries
Registers of baptisms, marriages and burials within the circuit.
Circuit accounts
Coverage: mid 19th - mid 20th centuries
Financial records of the circuit, including quarterly accounts and statements, usually compiled by the circuit steward.
Circuit schedules
Coverage: mid 19th - 20th centuries
Annual and quarterly records of circuit property, members, trustees, donations and funds, and other items.
Circuit plans
Coverage: mid 19th - 20th centuries
Annual, quarterly and half-yearly lists of preachers and their venues. Also directories.
Registers of baptisms, marriages and burials
Coverage: 1795 - 2001
Registers recording baptisms, marriages and burials in individual Methodist churches.
Plans of chapels
Coverage: 19th century
Plans of buildings and alterations.
How to find the document you want
Methodist records are arranged according to the circuit to which they relate.
There are catalogues for Methodist records available in the archives search room. There is also an index of Methodist chapels available.
Some Methodist registers are available on microfiche.
Use our online finding aid to see which Methodist registers we hold.
