Salem United Methodist Church

Burnley Road East, Scoutbottom

About 1864 a small group of worshipers split from Mount Tabor church at Newchurch. This small group obtained as their place of worship a building known as "The Braid House" at Scout Bottom (so called because it was used to make oatcakes and bake bread). After a while, with the need for more space they moved to a building behind the Roebuck Inn, part of which was used as stables for the Inn. Once again this room became to small for them and so a plot of land was obtained at the junction of Burnley Road and Shawclough Road where a new building was erected across the River Whitewell. The new church with seating for 250 people was built at a cost of £1,400 of which all but £250 had been raised when the first service was held on 8th October 1882.

Like many other small churches in the latter half of the twentieth century with spiralling maintenance cost and dwindle congregation it became difficult for the church to continue and when in early October 1964 the central heating boiler burst it was realised that the cost of repair could not be met. With the onset of winter and the prospect of no heating the church held its last service on 25th October 1964.

The building was used for many years after as business premises but was eventually demolished in 2004 and private dwelling houses erected on the site.

Baptism Register 1867 - 1964 on film at Rawtenstall Library (original register at Lancashire Record Office).