Methodist Chapel, Birchwood (Somercotes)

This Church was built by John Smedley of Matlock, who was also responsible for the building of Smedley's Hydro (currently County Hall) and Riber Castle, Matlock. The Church first opened in 1853 and in 1874, after the death of John Smedley, was purchased by church members for £800. The Church interior houses a balcony at the tower end with purpose built staging for anniversaries, etc at the opposite end. Amazingly, this church has moveable partitions - one between the church into the main body of the school room which in turn has banks of three rooms either side where those partitions can be moved, making practically the whole interior into one huge almost L shaped space.

The Derbyshire Ancestral Research Group meet here every Wednesday, from 10:00a.m. to 1:30p.m.

The rear of the integral Methodist Schoolroom may be seen on the right, and there is also a photograph of the Methodist Chapel (Rear View).

(Commentary provided by Janet Kirk)