Bishop Asbury Cottage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bishop Asbury Cottage |
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| General information | |
| Type | Cottage |
| Address | Newton Road, Great Barr, Sandwell, West Midlands, England |
| Coordinates | 52°32′35″N 1°57′18″W / 52.543101°N 1.955008°W |
| Construction started | c. 1700 |
| Owner | Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council |
| Designations | Grade II listed |
Bishop Asbury Cottage (grid reference SP 03150 93920) is a special old house in Great Barr, England. It was built around the 1700s. This cottage is famous because it was the childhood home of Francis Asbury. He was a very important leader in the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States. Today, the cottage is a museum. It helps people learn about his life and the history of Methodism.
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What is Bishop Asbury Cottage?
This cottage is a single-story building. It was built around 1700 using bricks. It has a tiled roof and small windows called dormer windows in the attic. Back then, it was in a different area called Staffordshire. Today, it is a protected building, known as a Grade II listed building. This means it's important and kept safe for history.
Who Was Francis Asbury?
Francis Asbury was born in 1745 in a nearby place called Hamstead. When he was about one year old, his family moved into this cottage. Francis grew up attending Methodist services in Wednesbury.
When he was young, Francis worked as a blacksmith. This means he shaped metal. But by age 21, he decided to become a full-time preacher. He wanted to share the Methodist message with more people.
In 1771, Francis Asbury left England for America. He never came back to his home country. He became one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Church in the United States. This was a very important role.
The Cottage's Story
Francis Asbury's family stayed in the cottage even after he left. His mother, Eliza, lived there until she passed away in 1802. While they lived there, the cottage was used for religious meetings. People would gather there to worship.
These services continued even after Francis's parents were gone. Eventually, the group moved to a bigger place across the road. This new place became the Newton Road United Reformed Church, which was open until 2017.
Saving the Cottage
By the 1950s, the cottage was owned by a company that made drinks. It was very old and didn't have modern things like running water. It only had a simple toilet system. A woman named Mrs. Randles and her daughter, Mrs. Searle, lived there. They often showed American Methodists who visited the cottage around.
The company wanted to tear down the cottage. But a local leader, Mrs. Parfitt, who was a Methodist, found out about its history. She helped stop the demolition. Around 1955, the local council bought the cottage. They helped Mrs. Randles and Mrs. Searle find a new home.
In 1964, a house next to Bishop Asbury Cottage was taken down. This was to make the road wider. Some people thought the demolished house was Francis Asbury's home. But old documents show that Bishop Asbury Cottage is indeed the correct one.
Today, the cottage is a museum. It looks like it would have in Francis Asbury's time. It has old items and information about his life in England and America. You can also learn about how Methodism grew in the Black Country area. There are displays about John Wesley, who founded Methodism, and his visits to the area.
See also
- Charlemont and Grove Vale
