17 February 2025
Bethesda Methodist Chapel, a Grade II*-listed building owned by the Historic Chapels Trust (HCT), is affectionately known as ‘the Cathedral of the Potteries’. This two-storey chapel, which dates to 1819 in its current form, is one of the largest surviving chapels outside London, with a seating capacity of 2,000.
In 2003, the chapel gained national attention by finishing fourth in the BBC’s Restoration television series, where viewers voted for listed buildings to receive grants for remedial works.
Since December 2023, Re-Form Heritage has been the heritage development trust for Stoke-on-Trent, supported by the Architectural Heritage Fund, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England, and recognised by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
Following a viability study funded by the Architectural Heritage Fund, a public consultation event was held in August last year to gather opinions on the chapel’s future.
Re-Form Heritage proposes transforming the chapel into an educational centre, with Pinc College, a specialist institution for neurodivergent young people aged 16-24, as the anchor tenant.
Dr Alasdair Brooks, Re-Form Heritage chief executive, said: “We’re delighted to be developing a sustainable future for this much-loved site in partnership with Pinc College. We look forward to working with the Friends of Bethesda Chapel and other local community stakeholders as we finalise plans for the site in the coming months.”
Located in the Chester & Stoke-On-Trent Methodist District, Bethesda Methodist Chapel ceased worship services in 1985 due to dwindling congregations and is currently listed on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register, with its condition described as ‘fair’.
Urgent structural repairs to the chapel’s exterior were completed with £108,716 from the UK government’s Cultural Assets Fund, distributed by the National Heritage Memorial Fund. This funding was part of a £3,689,000 investment awarded in 2022 to the Historic Chapels Trust to support urgent conservation works for Bethesda Methodist Chapel and seven other Grade I and Grade II* listed chapels in England, all on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.
These repairs marked a significant milestone for the Historic Chapels Trust in finding suitable long-term owners for the chapels and securing their futures. In 2023, the Trust initiated a Dispersals Programme to find new caretakers for some of their chapels.