The New Room in Bristol is the oldest Methodist Chapel in the world (originally built in 1739) and the cradle of the early Methodist movement.
It was built and used by John Wesley and the early Methodists as a meeting and preaching place and the centre for helping and educating the needy members of the community.
The chapel itself is on the ground floor (where there is also a shop) and is accessible from either the Broadmead or Horsefair courtyards. Upstairs, are the Preachers' Rooms where the MLA accredited museum is located. This contains a unique collection of papers and artifacts and tells the story of John and Charles Wesley and their life and work in Bristol.
The New Room is open - Monday to Saturday - 10am to 4pm
The trustees of the New Room are also responsible for the Charles Wesley House, which is located a short distance from the New Room. Charles was the younger brother of John and is considered one of the world's greatest hymn writers as well as being a great preacher in his own right. He lived at the house with his wife Sally and their children for several years. The property is set out as it would have been in Charles' time as a domestic family house.
The house is available to visit by groups by prior appointment only. Please visit our 'Group Visits' page of this website for further details.
A Garden in the heart of Broadmead
The Trustees of the New Room appeal to you to share in this vision of ‘greening the Broadmead Courtyard.’
Read About the launch
Read About Appeal Launch Party!
The trustees of John Wesley’s Chapel welcomed friends, stewards and guests to the New Room on Wednesday 10th September to launch an appeal for funds for the greening of the Broadmead Courtyard.
Read the full story
The New Room intends to contribute to improving the amenities in Broadmead by greening the Broadmead courtyard, thus improving the environment and enhancing Bristol’s heritage. Existing features, including the equestrian statue of John Wesley, will be thoughtfully incorporated in the new layout. Reckless Orchard, a local award-winning design team with a track record of regenerating urban spaces, have been briefed and engaged and their design draws on elements from 18th century formal gardens to create an urban oasis.
The appeal target is £200,000. If you wish to contribute, please send a cheque, made payable to ‘The New Room Development Fund’ to the Treasurer at the New Room and please gift aid your contribution if you can. All donations will be acknowledged and a list of donors will be posted on the New Room website. Please advise if you do not wish your name to be included on this list.
Help us make this garden grow!
You can download further information here.
FREE ENTRY TO THE CHAPEL, MUSEUM & SHOP
Visitors are always welcome at The New Room; we receive thousands every year from all over the world! As well as the chapel, there are Preacher's rooms upstairs which accommodate our museum. There is also our shop which stocks a range of items relating to John & Charles Wesley and the New Room, including our complete range of publications, which are listed in our shop page (you can find the link in the top left corner, under sub menu).
Please note you can also download the February 2008 newsletter and 2008 events leaflet from our Media Gallery page.
Sunday Services at the Chapel only take place during the summer months; this is a legacy from the days when city centres were empty on Sundays and congregations had moved to the suburbs. However, every Friday throughout the year there is a short service of Holy Communion in the chapel from 1 - 1.15pm to which all are welcome.
In 2007 the New Room was filled with special services, music concerts, a Flower Festival and many other events to mark the 300th Anniversary of the birth of famous Hymn-writer Charles Wesley and the 200th Anniversary of the Bill to Abolish the Slave Trade. They served to illustrate the significance that the New Room has in the history of Bristol and Christian witness throughout the world.
Group visits can receive an instructive talk by an experienced guide, but these must be booked in advance. Please see our 'Group Visits' page.
: