23-581: Epworth originally referred to Epworth, Lincolnshire , a town in England that was the birthplace of John Wesley and Charles Wesley, early leaders of the Methodist religious movement. The town's name has since been used for other places and institutions affiliated with the Methodist denomination of Christianity. In addition to the English town, Epworth may refer to: Epworth, Lincolnshire Epworth
46-457: A beer tent, children's entertainment and a dog show . Epworth Show has links with the three Epworth churches which come together for a prior Sunday evening service, and on show day share an information tent. The Show is run by the Epworth and District Agricultural Society, a charitable organisation . Its committee comprises community and honorary members, and patrons. Other activities run by
69-683: A community based radio station which broadcast from its studios in Thorne . Local newspaper is served by the Doncaster Free Press (formerly The Epworth Bells ). The Epworth Show has been held for over 60 years, and takes place on the August Bank Holiday Monday. The show was first held before the Second World War on Battle Green, later moving to Scawcett Lane. Today it is held at Wroot Road –
92-551: Is a Queen Anne-style building, rebuilt in 1709, which has been restored and is now the property of the Methodist Church of Great Britain , who maintain it as a museum. The rectory was home to the rector of Epworth from 1697 to 1735, the Reverend Samuel Wesley , his wife Susanna and their 19 children, one of whom, John Wesley , grew up to become a founder of Methodism . On 9 February 1709, while
115-591: Is a market town and civil parish on the Isle of Axholme , in the North Lincolnshire unitary authority of Lincolnshire , England. The town lies on the A161 , about halfway between Goole and Gainsborough . As the birthplace of John Wesley and Charles Wesley , it has given its name to many institutions associated with Methodism . Their father, Samuel Wesley , was the rector from 1695 to 1735. Epworth
138-408: Is described as the 'Home of Methodism' and there is a Methodist church in the centre of the town. This was built in 1888 (opened for worship in 1889) and continues to be a busy hub in the centre of the community. The church (along with the town as a whole) attracts hundreds of visitors from around the world each year tracing the history of the Methodist movement. There is a trail around the town linking
161-885: Is in the Isle of Axholme . The Isle is so called because, until it was drained by the Dutch engineer Sir Cornelius Vermuyden in 1627–1629, it was an inland island, surrounded by rivers, streams, bogs and meres. The Domesday Book in 1086 recorded: "Manor In Epeuerde, Ledwin had eight carucates of land to be taxed. Land to twelve ploughs. Geoffrey de Wirce has there two ploughs, and eight sokemen , with two carucates and five oxgangs of this land; and thirteen villanes and nine bordars with six ploughs, and eleven fisheries of five shillings, and sixteen acres [6.5 hectares] of meadow. Wood pasture one mile [1.5 km] long and one mile [1.5 km] broad.. Value in King Edword 's time £8 now £5. Tallaged at twenty shillings. A grant of
184-722: Is now occupied by a farm store. Another station was opened on the Doncaster to Lincoln Line in the town of Haxey . However, this station closed in 1964 lasting longer than the previous station of the same name. The nearest mainline station is now in the nearby town of Crowle . Television signals are received from either the Emley Moor or Belmont TV transmitters. The town is served by both BBC Radio Humberside and BBC Radio Sheffield . Other radio stations are Greatest Hits Radio Yorkshire , Hits Radio East Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire , Hits Radio Lincolnshire and TMCR 95.3 ,
207-606: Is served by buses provided by Isle Coaches , Stagecoach Buses and First South Yorkshire which give the town services to towns such as Doncaster , Scunthorpe and Haxey . The town was served by a station on the Axholme Joint Railway which ran from Goole to Lincoln via a connecting spur to the Doncaster to Lincoln Line . The station closed to passengers in 1933 and the line closing to freight and excursion services in 1956. The site has been redeveloped and
230-596: The Trent , not to mention abundant salmon, was lost along with many livelihoods. The resentment felt by the Isle of Axholme towards the king doubtless explains their siding with Parliament in the English Civil War (1642-1651). Nevertheless, Vermuyden's work, an outstanding piece of irrigation engineering, turned thousands of acres of marsh and bog, which had been impassable except in high summer or hard frost, into
253-461: The common land to the freeholders and other tenants, made by deed in 1360 by John de Mowbray , Lord of the Manor , gave privileges and freedoms over the use of common land, reed gathering, rights over fish and fowl and such wildlife as could be taken by the commoners for food. The deed caused repercussions in the reign of King Charles I (1625-1649) when Vermuyden was granted the task of draining
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#1732772411846276-428: The "Wesley poltergeist", is one of the best-known English poltergeist claims. From December 1716 until January 1717, it is said to have been plagued by a series of regularly occurring loud noises and knockings, claimed to be caused by a ghost. Wesley's fourth eldest daughter Hetty nicknamed the spirit "Old Jeffrey", who is said to have made his presence known to all on Christmas Day 1716. In Mrs Wesley's words, "there
299-415: The Isle and he and his Dutch partners came under regular attack in their stockade at Sandtoft . The draining of the land saw the ancient rights of the commoners encroached upon: as the land dried up they lost their supply of wildfowl for food, foraging rights and employment as mere men, swanniers, and ferry operators in addition to their grazing rights. A whole way of life that had seen annual otter hunts on
322-458: The Wesley family was living in the house. The Church of England parish church of Saint Andrew is on a hill overlooking the town. Its architecture suggests that its oldest part may have been built in the late 12th century with later additions in the 14th and 15th centuries. The Rev. Samuel Wesley , father of John and Charles Wesley, was Rector here (and is buried in the churchyard). Epworth
345-659: The Wesleys were resident, a fire burnt down the wooden rectory and it was rebuilt in brick. The Old Rectory is a Grade I listed building. In 1954 the Church of England sold the rectory to the British Methodist Church, who purchased it with financial support from the World Methodist Council . The building was restored by Thomas Rayson and some of the external features were returned to how
368-724: The Wesleys would have known the house. The Old Rectory is managed by a board of trustees appointed by the British Methodist Conference and the World Methodist Council. The chair of trustees (2015) is the Rev. Graham Carter, a past president of the Methodist Conference . It is the site of supposed paranormal events that occurred in 1716, while the Wesley family was living in the house. The Epworth Rectory haunting, also known as
391-425: The area. There is a plaque dedicated to him in the town centre as well as a small museum that now stands near the site of his original home. The Old Rectory , a Queen Anne style building, rebuilt after the fire of 1709, has been completely restored and is now the property of the World Methodist Council. It is maintained as a museum. It is also the site of supposed paranormal events that occurred there in 1716, while
414-462: The earliest records that document the haunting have large discrepancies from later reports. According to Bruce, the original records from the 18th century reduce the "haunting" to nothing more than some alleged creaking noises, knocks, footsteps or groaning sounds. Bruce commented that "we are, therefore, justified in believing that in this case, like so many others of its kind, the fallibility of human memory has played an overwhelming part in exaggerating
437-423: The rich arable farmland that the Isle benefits from today. The Isle of Axholme was originally the eight parishes of Althorpe , Belton , Crowle , Epworth, Haxey , Luddington , Owston and Wroot . Lord Nathan Francis Young was born here in 1654 and is commonly referred to as a ‘founding farmer’ of the original town. He is recorded as the first to monopolise the local land between the farmers spread throughout
460-460: The site has been enlarged and extra facilities added – where a number of other community events are held. Originally the show catered only for the local area. Over the years it has grown, and whilst still having an agricultural aspect – with cattle, sheep, goats, shire horses and vintage tractors – it provides entertainment and activities including show jumping , mountain & moorland ponies , trade stands, vintage vehicles ,
483-444: The sites which were significant for the Wesley family. Epworth had a population of 4,363 at the 2021 Census. The ethnic makeup of the town was recorded at 97.9% White British and Ethnic Minorities were recorded at 1,1% of the population. Christianity has the highest religious following at 59.7% of the local population, followed by irreligious at 38.6% and Islam at 0.7%. Other religious and faiths were less than 0.5%. Epworth
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#1732772411846506-575: The society between May and September include four horse & pony events, and an August Bank Holiday weekend Beer Festival with live bands. Epworth has hosted the Epworth Festival of the Plough agricultural fair for a number of years. Beside John and Charles Wesley, other notable people associated with Epworth are: Old Rectory, Epworth The Old Rectory in Epworth, Lincolnshire
529-560: Was such a noise in the room over our heads, as if several people were walking, then running up and down stairs that we thought the children would be frightened". According to the tale, as she and her husband searched the house in vain for the culprit, "Old Jeffrey" continued "rattling and thundering in every room, and even blowing an invisible horn at deafening decibels". "Old Jeffrey" supposedly disappeared in January 1717 just as suddenly as he had appeared. Addington Bruce (1908) noted that
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