Bible Christians of Witheridge & Eston

[theporter2000]

I'm looking for info on Bible Christians, Witheridge Devon & Eston Yorkshire. I have photographs of the chapels at both locations

[Chris Doran]

A web search finds that the Bible Christians were an offshoot of Wesleyan Methodists, but by 1907 had become part of the United Methodist Church. A Bible Christian Chapel at Witheridge is mentioned in "Kelly's Directory of Devon & Cornwall, 1902. [Part 1: Devon]" at The Historical Directories Site (http://www.historicaldirectories.org), but in the 1914 edition only a Methodist Chapel is mentioned. A web search for "Witheridge methodist church" finds: a page in the Witheridge Historical Archive (http://www.witheridge-historical-archive.com/church-4.htm) and others. Likewise for Eston (Grange), which is a new building and may or may not be a successor to the old.

I believe we have a present-day Methodist lay preacher around here, and she may be along with more information and contacts. Whether you get any information from a Church depends on what records have survived and the time, interest, and abilities of whoever drew the short straw of archivist :)

I hope that gives you a few pointers to work from.

[Kevin Garrad]

The Bible Christians were a Methodist sect founded 1815 amongst the farming and fishing communities in North Cornwall and North Devon.
Centred at Shebbear, where a Methodist college still exists.
Many of the adherents emigrated to Canada, and started the church there, too.

One of my families, Vanstone, appeared to be heavily involved.

Wikisource has an entry from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

http://en.
wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Bible_Christians