The present Longholme Chapel is the third building to be used for Methodist worship in Rawtenstall. The early Methodists held their services in the home of James Wardleworth at Balladen and then in the home of Peter Whittaker at Springside Cottages. In 1812 Thomas Kay moved from Burnley and built Longholme Cotton Mill on the south side of the River Irwell close to New Hall Bridge. Alongside the mill he built a row of cottages of which four had no inner walls and it was these cottages which became known as "Longholme Chapel".

The second chapel, was built on a plot of land next to the Toll Bar in Rawtenstall. The land was sold to the Trustees by Thomas Kay for £200 and this building, which retained the name of "Longholme Chapel", was a two storey building with the chapel upstairs and a school below. It could seat 600 people and was opened in April 1826. By 1839 the chapel had prospered sufficiently to appoint it's first resident Minister, the Reverend James Wilson. It was also decided at this time to build the present chapel on land adjoining the second chapel, and at a cost of £7,000 a building with 1300 seats was opened on 18th March 1842. The second chapel was demolished to make way for a new Sunday School, the foundation stone of which was laid on 1st June 1855.

The Sunday School stayed in use until about 1956 and was demolished in March 1962 when site was sold to private enterprise. This led to the chapel being re-constructed inside with the organ and pulpit being removed and the gallery space filled in, allowing the church to be moved onto the upper level and the lower level being turned into a general use area. The church re-opened in this form in April 1962.

Available Registers

At Lancashire Record Office and on microfilm at Rawtenstall Library.
Baptisms register 1827 - 1979 (not indexed)
At Rossendale branch and Rawtenstall Library on microfiche (indexed)
Burial register and monument inscriptions 1820 - 1987
The marriage registers and late baptism registers are still at the church.

War Memorial