The Affair at Rolvenden
John Wesley first preached in Rolvenden more than 250 years ago. At that time, the Layne Farmhouse at Rolvenden Layne, now known as Wesley House, was used for Methodist services, but by law, only five people were allowed to meet in addition to members of the household. Across the road stood the little chapel built by the Bible Christians.
In 1971 Mrs Gladys Jenner, for over forty years the Organist, Treasurer, Caretaker, Cleaner, and Sunday-School Teacher at the Bible Christian chapel, gave an account of ‘THE AFFAIR AT ROLVENDEN’ mentioning earlier research by Mr Edmund Austen of Brede. This ‘Affair’ took place at Wesley House. According to Mr Austen, ‘On the evening of March 13th 1760, the service was conducted by John Morley, one of Wesley’s travelling preachers stationed in the Sussex circuit. Sixteen Methodists met for religious worship for, as one said, ‘We think it more profitable after the labour of the day than to be at an ale house or spending our time in idle amusements.’
[fg]jpg|Fig 1: Wesley House, courtesy of Jackie King|Image[/fg]
We know from the court case which followed that among the worshippers were Thomas and Jane Osborne; Philip Norris, yeoman; Thomas Reeve the elder, shoemaker; Thomas Reeve the younger, shoemaker; Henry Bigg, thatcher; Joseph Bigg and John Bigg, labourers; George Pike, servant; Betty Vine, spinster; Mary and Elizabeth Bigg, spinsters; Hannah Young, spinster; Ambrose and Hannah Buckland, all of these belonging to Rolvenden except the Bucklands, who came from Benenden.
Thomas Witherden, a neighbouring farmer, reported the meeting to the magistrate, Mr Robert Moneypenny of Maytham Hall, and he issued a summons against ‘the vagrant itinerant Methodist preacher, and his congregation’. Two days later, they were charged with ‘being PERSONS above the age of 16 and there being more than five persons in the house (besides those of the household) of the said Thomas Osborne then assembled together, under the pretence of the exercise of Religion in other manner than according to the Liturgy and practice of the Church of England against the Form of the Statute.’Two witnesses appeared for the prosecution, Thomas Apps, yeoman of Rolvenden, and his servant, Thomas Buss. In reply to the charge, John Morley said ‘that he was not a Protestant Dissenter, but a member of the Church of England, and that he belonged to the Methodist Society in London, members of the Church of England in connection with the Rev. Mr Wesley. That his intent and meaning was to instruct his brethren in a godly, pious manner according to the scripture. That he exhorted them to go to Church and not to keep from thence, and he prays for his Majesty King George III.’ He further said that he followed no occupation or business other than a travelling preacher and that he had no settled habitation or goods, or chattels, which might be seized for the payment of a fine. All the defendants were convicted: John Morley was fined £20, Thomas Osborne £20, and the remaining fourteen 5/- each, the maximum fines in each case. Morley, having neither money nor goods, his fine was levied on Philip Norris and Thomas Reeve Jnr. £10 each. Osborne, Norris and Reeve refused to pay the fines, and their goods to the value of that fine were seized fourteen days later.
[fg]jpg|Fig 2: Maytham Hall, courtesy of Jackie King|Image[/fg]
They appealed to the quarter sessions at Maidstone a month later. They applied for an adjournment through their counsel until the next session to prepare their case. This was refused, and they declined to enter their defence. So the Judge with the Jury confirmed the f ines and ordered the payment of £8 costs. The Methodists being informed that the proceedings were not according to the law applied to the King’s Bench for the convictions to be set aside. Accordingly on June 3rd 1760, the case was argued, and the court quashed the convictions, not only the proceedings of the sessions but also the convictions before the magistrates.
John Wesley referred to the ‘Rolvenden Affair’ in a sermon some years afterwards. He declared that the Rolvenden Methodists, ever since then, had been permitted to worship God according to their conscience. The case aroused great interest throughout the country and was the subject of much comment in newspapers and periodicals. John Wesley, writing to his brother a few days after the case on June 23rd, says, ‘It is of more consequence than our people seem to apprehend. If we do not exert ourselves, it must drive us to that bad dilemma, leave preaching, or leave the Church of England. We have reason to thank God it is not come to this. Perhaps it never may.’
The Bible Christians had always been part of the Methodist movement whilst disagreeing with some of their policies. One area of disagreement was that women preachers, in particular, were barred by the Methodists from preaching but found a welcome with the Bible Christians founded in Cornwall in 1815. One of the earliest preachers in the chapel was the Rev. Lillie Edwards. She was well known and popular, never seen without her black button boots as she lifted her long skirts and mounted the steps to give a spirited sermon. From 1918 the Methodists allowed women preachers, and in 1929 took over the chapel at Rolvenden Layne as the number of Bible Christian followers fell. In 1971 the chapel closed and was sold and demolished. The six occupants of graves were reinterred in the churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin at Rolvenden. A new house now stands on the site.
Many people have never heard of ‘The Affair at Rolvenden’, which aroused so much controversy at the time, and only a few remember the little Bible Christian chapel, gone forever. However, Wesley House still stands opposite the site where the chapel once stood, their two histories intertwined. It remains an impressive former farmhouse with a great story to tell.
Acknowledgements
The author wishes to express her gratitude to Mrs Gladys Jenner of Rolvenden Layne, Mr Edmund Austen of Brede and Jakie King of Rolvenden Layne for their input into this article.