Where John Wesley, the founder of Methodism preached and rested...
Wesley Cottage
Wesley Cottage is situated in Trewint near Launceston in Cornwall, UK
…where John Wesley, the founder of Methodism preached and rested.
In Cornwall, UK, the busy A30 road carries visitors from Launceston to Bodmin and beyond. Near Five Lanes is the hamlet of Trewint with a place all its own in the Wesley Story.”
Wesley Cottage - the story
On a warm summer day in 1743, two advance agents of John Wesley, John Nelson and John Downes, found themselves tired and hungry. Seeking refreshment, they approached a house with a stone porch, which belonged to Digory Isbell, a skilled Stonemason. Since Digory was not home, his wife Elizabeth graciously welcomed the weary travelers and provided them with food and drink. Much to their surprise, the strangers insisted on paying for their hospitality and then knelt down to pray, without needing any written prayers. Upon his return, Digory Isbell learned about the extraordinary visitors and their unconventional practices.
A year later, John Wesley himself, drenched and exhausted, found shelter in the house of the Stonemason. His visit left a profound blessing in its wake. One evening, while reading his Bible, Digory came across the story of the Shunamite woman who built a chamber for a man of God. Considering it a divine command, Digory immediately took action and extended his house by adding two rooms, one on the ground floor and one upstairs. These rooms were intended to be used by John Wesley and his preachers whenever they visited the area.
The Trewint Methodist Society thrived as a result, but with the opening of other chapels, the rooms in Trewint fell into disuse and eventually deteriorated into a roofless ruin. However, in 1950, the Isbell house and the Wesley rooms were lovingly restored and made accessible to the public.
Every year in May, Wesley Day Celebrations take place at the cottage, commemorating its rich history. The rooms in the cottage are also recognised as the smallest Methodist preaching place worldwide, adding to their uniqueness and significance.
The A30 road symbolises the stress and strain of modern life. Digory Isbell’s house at Trewint calls the soul to prayer and peace. For those who will linger and listen there, voices will speak of the riches of yesterday providing a thrill for today and a challenge for tomorrow.
Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.
John Wesley
Lord, I am no longer my own, but Yours. Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will. Let be employed by You or laid aside for You, exalted for You or brought low by You. Let me have all things, let me have nothing, I freely and heartily yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are mine and I am Yours. So be it. Amen.
John Wesley
John Wesley - his life
John Wesley an English theologian and evangelist, was a founder of Methodism.
Wesley was born in the rectory at Epworth, Lincolnshire, on June 17, 1703, the 15th child of the British clergyman Samuel Wesley.
He was educated at Charterhouse School and Christ Church, University of Oxford. He was ordained as a deacon in 1725 and admitted to the priesthood of the Church of England in 1728. For a time John Wesley acted as curate to his father.
In 1729 he went into residence at Oxford as a fellow of Lincoln College. There he joined the Holy Club, a group of students that included his brother Charles Wesley and, later, George Whitefield, who was to become the founder of Calvanistic Methodism.
The club members adhered strictly and methodically to religious precepts and practices, among them visiting prisons and comforting the sick, and were thus derisively called “methodists” by their schoolmates.
Methodism… a way of life
A Methodist Way of Life is a way of living. It is how we try to live our lives in response to God’s love, made known to us in Jesus.
Like the early Christians in Acts 2.42-47, we seek to express what it means to follow Jesus in the regular, practical actions of worship, learning and caring, service and evangelism. This life is built on what Methodists have always done, since the days of John Wesley, in trying to follow Jesus and live out the Christian faith – just as those first followers in Acts did.
The commitments of A Methodist Way of Life remind us of, and provide a compass for, Christian living.
Visiting Wesley Cottage
Experience a truly unique visit at Wesley Cottage, an 18th Century Cottage and Chapel that holds the distinction of being believed as the smallest Methodist Preaching place worldwide. Immerse yourself in the history as you explore the cottage and hear the captivating tale of the first Methodist Preachers who journeyed to Cornwall and made a stop at Wesley Cottage.
Step into the ‘Wesley Room,’ the very place where John Wesley himself prayed and rested. Admire the collection of 18th Century artifacts on display, offering a glimpse into the past. Take a moment for peaceful reflection in the intimate Chapel, soaking in the tranquil atmosphere. Light refreshments are usually available, adding to your overall experience.