The 1807 Mow Cop Revival and the Rise of Primitive Methodism

Hugh Bourne – Founder of the Primitive Methodists
Mow Cop is a village on the Cheshire–Staffordshire border, more famous for the rise of Primitive Methodism than for Mow Cop Castle or its long industrial history1. It was on the hill overlooking this village, at the site of the folly known as Mow Cop Castle, that the Mow Cop Revival took place2. On May 31, 1807, this remarkable event set in motion the establishment of the Primitive Methodists, a breakaway from the Wesleyan Methodist Church in England2.
This article will explore the historical context leading up to the revival, its key figures, the events of the day itself, and its lasting impact on the religious landscape of England.
The State of Religion in England Prior to the Revival
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, England was undergoing a period of profound social and economic change. The Industrial Revolution was transforming society, leading to rapid urbanization and the growth of new industrial towns. This period also saw a decline in religious commitment, with many churches struggling to adapt to the changing times and the spiritual needs of the new working class3.
Within the Wesleyan Methodist Church itself, there was growing discontent. While John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, had emphasized personal experience and evangelistic zeal, the church in the years after his death in 1791 had become increasingly rigid and formalized2. The Wesleyan hierarchy imposed restrictions on lay ministry and evangelistic innovation, seeking to maintain control and order2.
They limited the manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power and discouraged emotional expression in worship, fearing disorder and a loss of authority2. Lay ministers were discouraged from preaching in unconventional locations like homes, barns, and open fields, further restricting the church’s reach among the working class2. This rigidity and formalism led to the neglect of the poor in cities and rural areas, who were not being reached by the established ministry2.
This discontent within Wesleyanism mirrored a broader trend in English religious life. The established church, with its focus on tradition and hierarchy, seemed increasingly out of touch with the spiritual needs of the people3. The rise of rationalism and scepticism further challenged traditional religious beliefs3. In this context, the Mow Cop Revival emerged as a powerful expression of religious fervour and a challenge to the status quo.
Antecedents to the Revival
The seeds of the Mow Cop Revival were sown by several factors. One significant influence was the visit of American evangelist Lorenzo Dow to England2. During his trips in 1799, 1805, and 1818, Dow shared accounts of the camp meetings that were drawing tens of thousands to Christ in America during the Second Great Awakening2.
These accounts, with their emphasis on outdoor preaching, emotional religious experiences, and lay involvement, deeply impressed Hugh Bourne, a Methodist pastor, and others who longed for a similar revival of religious fervor in England2.
Hugh Bourne, a carpenter and wheelwright from Bemersley, was a key figure in organizing the Mow Cop Revival4. He was known for his deep piety and concern for the spiritual welfare of the people in the mining villages of Harriseahead and Mow Cop5. William Clowes, a Burslem potter, was another prominent leader4. Clowes was known for his charismatic personality and powerful preaching, drawing large crowds wherever he went2.
The Mow Cop Revival
On May 31, 1807, over 2,000 people gathered on Mow Cop, a hill overlooking the village on the Cheshire-Staffordshire border6. The event, organized primarily by Hugh Bourne, was inspired by the American camp meetings described by Lorenzo Dow6. The revival lasted over fourteen hours and included a variety of activities: prayer, praise, exhortation, testimony, and even poetry6. A commemorative stone now stands at the site with the inscription: “TO THE GLORY OF GOD. A camp meeting near this spot on May 31st 1807 began the Religious Revival led by Hugh Bourne and William Clowes known as Primitive Methodism.” 1
The meeting began at 6:00 am with a flag erected on the hill to guide attendees to the location7. Volunteers led hymns, prayed, preached, and shared testimonies7. As the crowd grew, a second preaching stand was set up, followed by a third and then a fourth by noon7. Preaching continued simultaneously at the different stands, with ministers filled with “an extraordinary unction from the Holy Spirit.” 2 Sinners were convicted of their sins, tears flowed freely, and new converts joined in prayer2.
The revival continued until 4:00 pm, with some attendees leaving and the crowds diminishing2. By 6:00 pm, everyone had gathered at one preaching stand2. The meeting concluded at 8:30 pm, with many expressing amazement at the day’s events7.
Supernatural Manifestations
The Mow Cop Revival was not only a time of fervent prayer and passionate preaching but also a time of spiritual awakenings and reported supernatural manifestations. William Clowes, one of the leaders of the revival, recorded an account of demon possession and exorcism in his journal2. These accounts, while perhaps unusual to modern sensibilities, highlight the spiritual atmosphere of the time and the belief in the power of God to overcome evil.
Prayers and Practices
The Mow Cop Revival was notably characterized by fervent prayer and passionate preaching. The organizers, inspired by accounts of the American camp meetings, prayed specifically for favourable weather, a large gathering, divine influence, and significant spiritual results2. Their prayers were answered with a clear and pleasant day, a large and enthusiastic crowd, and numerous conversions.
The revival emphasized open-air preaching, lay involvement, and emotional expression, all of which were discouraged by the Wesleyan Methodist establishment8. This emphasis on spontaneity and the direct experience of God’s presence resonated with the working class, who felt excluded by the formality and rigidity of the established church.
One of the hymns sung at the revival was “Revive Thy Work, O Lord!” 7 This hymn, with its call for a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit, reflected the desire for a return to the passionate faith of early Methodism and a rejection of the dry formalism that had crept into the Wesleyan church.
Immediate and Lasting Results
The Mow Cop Revival had a profound and immediate impact. Many conversions took place, with some estimating that more good was done at that one meeting than in all the preaching services in the area during the previous year2. The revival sparked a new surge of enthusiasm and zeal among the participants, leading to a renewed commitment to evangelism and Christian living7. It is estimated that between 2,000 and 4,000 people attended the revival, a significant number for a rural area in those days2.
Despite opposition from the Wesleyan Methodists, who saw the camp meeting format as “highly improper in England,” a second camp meeting was held at Mow Cop on July 19, 1807, with similar results1. This was followed by another camp meeting at Norton-in-the-Moors on August 23, 18079.
Camp meetings began to be conducted throughout the region, leading to further conversions and the growth of the revival movement7. A large follow-up meeting was held at Mow Cop on August 22, 1807, which was even better organized than the first and lasted throughout the day and night1.
Formation of the Primitive Methodist Church
The revival eventually led to the formation of the Primitive Methodist Connexion in 181010. The Primitive Methodists sought to return to the simpler, more passionate form of Methodism practiced by John Wesley in the early days of the movement8. They embraced open-air preaching, lay involvement, and emotional expression, all of which were hallmarks of the Mow Cop Revival and a challenge to the Wesleyan establishment11.
The Primitive Methodists were also notable for their initial religious radicalism in allowing the ministry of women11. This openness to women’s leadership was a significant departure from the practices of most other denominations at the time and reflected the movement’s commitment to empowering ordinary people to share the Gospel.
In 1860, the Primitive Methodist Memorial Church was constructed at Mow Cop, to remember the lasting impact of the revival on the area1.
Spread to America
The movement spread to America in 1829 when a group of missionaries arrived to minister to English and Welsh immigrants2. The American Primitive Methodist Church was established in 1840, continuing the tradition of passionate evangelism and social concern that characterized the movement in England2.
The Mow Cop Revival and the Second Great Awakening
The Mow Cop Revival shared similarities with the Second Great Awakening, a religious revival that swept through America in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Both movements emphasized emotional religious experiences, lay involvement, and evangelistic fervour12. They both arose in a time of social and economic change, offering spiritual help and a sense of community to those who felt marginalized by the established order.
The camp meeting format, a key feature of the Mow Cop Revival, originated in America during the Second Great Awakening13. These outdoor gatherings, with their extended periods of preaching, singing, and prayer, provided an opportunity for intense religious experiences and fostered a sense of collective excitement and spiritual renewal. Lorenzo Dow, who inspired the Mow Cop Revival, was himself a product of the Second Great Awakening and a passionate advocate for camp meetings14.
The Second Great Awakening, like the Mow Cop Revival, was a reaction against religious formalism and a renewed emphasis on personal religious experience. It led to the growth of new denominations and a surge in religious participation across America. The camp meeting, with its origins in the Scottish Presbyterian tradition of “Holy Fairs,” became a central feature of this revival, spreading across the American frontier and transforming the religious landscape12.
Personal Accounts
The Mow Cop Revival left a lasting impression on those who participated. One attendee described the scene: “The preachers seemed to be fired with uncommon zeal… tears were flowing and sinners trembling on every side.” 15 This account captures the emotional intensity and spiritual fervour that characterized the event.
Another testimony from the Gilkes Street Primitive Methodist chapel, built in 1867 and affected by the revival’s influence, described the power of the Holy Spirit moving in a meeting: “The power of the Lord was so mighty that the people were almost lifted out of their seats.” 16 These personal accounts provide a glimpse into the transformating power of the revival and its impact on individuals and communities.
Timeline of Events
Event | Date |
Death of John Wesley | 1791 |
First trip to England by Lorenzo Dow | 1799 |
Hugh Bourne inspired by Dow’s accounts of camp meetings | 1805 |
Mow Cop Revival | May 31, 1807 |
Second Mow Cop Camp Meeting | July 19, 1807 |
Norton-in-the-Moors Camp Meeting | August 23, 1807 |
Follow-up meeting at Mow Cop | August 22, 1807 |
Hugh Bourne expelled from Wesleyan Methodist society | June 27, 1808 |
Primitive Methodist Connexion established | 1810 |
Primitive Methodist missionaries arrive in America | 1829 |
American Primitive Methodist Church established | September 16, 1840 |
Primitive Methodist Memorial Church constructed | 1860 |
Primitive Methodists celebrate 100th anniversary at Mow Cop | 1907 |
Camp Meeting returns to Mow Cop as part of the yearly conference | 1910 |
150th anniversary celebrated at Mow Cop | 1948 |
Conclusion
The 1807 Mow Cop Revival was a watershed moment in the history of Methodism in England. It marked a turning point in the Wesleyan Methodist Church, leading to the formation of the Primitive Methodist Church. The revival emphasized a return to the passionate faith and evangelistic zeal of early Methodism, inspiring a new generation of preachers and lay people.
The Primitive Methodists, with their emphasis on open-air preaching, lay involvement, and emotional expression, reached out to the working class and the marginalized in society, playing a significant role in the social and religious landscape of 19th-century England. Their legacy continues to this day, reminding us of the power of religious fervour, the importance of social action, and the enduring appeal of a faith that speaks to the heart as well as the mind.
The Mow Cop Revival also reminds us of the interconnectedness of religious movements across geographical boundaries. Inspired by the American Second Great Awakening, the revival in turn influenced the development of Methodism in America and beyond. The camp meeting format, born out of the fervour of the Second Great Awakening, found fertile ground in England, demonstrating the power of religious ideas to transcend cultural and national contexts.
The Mow Cop Revival, with its emphasis on personal experience, lay involvement, and social action, continues to inspire Christians today to live out their faith with passion and commitment.
Works cited
- Primitive Methodist Church – Mow Cop Interactive History, accessed on December 15, 2024, http://www.mowcop.info/htm/church/primitive2.htm
- 1807 Mow Cop Revival – BEAUTIFUL FEETBEAUTIFUL FEET, accessed on December 15, 2024, https://romans1015.com/mow-cop/
- Arnold Dallimore: What England Was Like Before the 18th-Century Revival – Banner of Truth, accessed on December 15, 2024, https://banneroftruth.org/us/resources/announcements/2022/arnold-dallimore-what-england-was-like-before-the-18th-century-revival/
- The Christian Heritage of of Stoke-on-Trent – Thepotteries.org, accessed on December 15, 2024, https://www.thepotteries.org/history/spiritual_history.html
- Primitive Methodist Church, Stoke-on-Trent – Thepotteries.org, accessed on December 15, 2024, https://www.thepotteries.org/chapel/007a.htm
- THE MOW COP METHODISTS, accessed on December 15, 2024, http://www.fulwoodmethodist.org.uk/fmcmag/easter%202007/mow/mow_cop_methodists.htm
- METHODISTS “MOW COP” AGAIN! Rebirth of our Evangelical origin. | Deji Okegbile’s Blog, accessed on December 15, 2024, http://dejiokegbile.com/methodists-mow-cop-again-rebirth-of-our-evangelical-origin/
- Primitive Methodism in the United Kingdom – Wikipedia, accessed on December 15, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primitive_Methodism_in_the_United_Kingdom
- Hugh Bourne – Wikipedia, accessed on December 15, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Bourne
- Primitive Methodist Church – Wikipedia, accessed on December 15, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primitive_Methodist_Church
- Radical Objects: Primitive Methodists | History Workshop, accessed on December 15, 2024, https://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/labour/radical-objects-2/
- Camp meeting – Wikipedia, accessed on December 15, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_meeting
- Camp meeting – New World Encyclopedia, accessed on December 15, 2024, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Camp_meeting
- Camp Meetings – DMBI: A Dictionary of Methodism in Britain and Ireland, accessed on December 15, 2024, https://dmbi.online/index.php?do=app.entry&id=531
- The Prims – History of Downley, accessed on December 15, 2024, https://downleyhistory.uk/the-prims/
- 1897 Gilkes Street Revival, Middlesbrough, UK – BEAUTIFUL FEET, accessed on December 15, 2024, https://romans1015.com/giles-street-revival/