Our Story
Our story starts in the late 18th century. The first Methodist Church in Malton had been established in Old Maltongate during the middle of the 18th century, and Methodism’s founder John Wesley, preached there in the early 1770’s – such was the growing strength of Wesley’s new ‘movement’. Keen to be conciliatory towards Methodists of the day, the 4th Earl Fitzwilliam¹ struck a deal, bartering two houses and the Methodist Chapel in Old Maltongate, for the granting of a rent-free site on which to build a large new ‘chapel’ in Saville Street. The barter was to the advantage of Methodists as the new site was 223 square yards larger than the old property.
The Earl also proved to be the largest donor to the building fund giving £223 towards the cost of the new church, quite deliberately the gift equating to £1 per additional square yard.
There are currently about 75 million Methodist people worldwide. Yet this Christian denomination only began in the mid-eighteenth century in Britain, due in part to the strong leadership, extensive travelling and organisational abilities of John Wesley – the most prominent 'Founder of Methodism'. Whilst there’s been a steady decline in membership over the last 50 years, today there are still around 188,000 members of the Methodist Church in Great Britain.
Large Methodist Preaching Chapels were developed prolifically across the country during the 19th and early 20th century – in towns and cities, and huge so-called ‘central halls’ complemented these places of worship, some with a seating capacity of up to 2,000 or more – such was the popular appeal of Methodism, and its reputation for great preaching and hearty singing.
A new building for Malton in 1811. Built by public subscription, the present William Jenkins-designed building in Malton was opened in August 1811, originally seating 700.
In a religious census in the town in 1812, Sunday congregations for the building in Saville Steet are recorded as being: “550 in the forenoon, 300 in the afternoon and 700 in the evening.” 200 attended both the weekday prayer meeting and the weekday sermon.
Whilst the ‘super-sized’ churches or so called ‘central halls’ were typically located in town and city high streets, many have now disappeared, or their sites re-developed. The Methodist Church today encourages greater use of these wonderful buildings that do survive, supporting their partial re-purposing for the benefit of the wider community.
Malton's fine building is no exception.
Reviewing options for a sustainable future. The surprise news in the late summer of 2015 that there were potentially very serious structural problems with the roof of the building, focussed minds. Discussions continued during the autumn of 2015, and on Tuesday 17 November 2015, a number of specific options were explored, including permanent closure.
After careful consideration, the congregation overwhelmingly elected to explore the viability of undertaking a sympathetic redevelopment of its building. This work continued throughout 2016, 2017 and the first part of 2018, when a suitable scheme was finalised.
Following completion of the first phase of its planned redevelopment for the newly re-named Wesley Centre, the £135,000 roof repair was completed during the first half of 2018, and the iconic building re-opened again on 4 June 2018.
A further second phase of work was undertaken in 2018 to create new offices within the adjoining building (the North Wing), and this work was completed in 2020, with the building now fully let, and also housing an administrative office for the Wesley Centre.
The third phase of the project has been the most significant to date when a start was made with transformation of the large main space in late 2022. The building was partially re-opened again from autumn 2024, with the remaining works largely completed in late summer 2025.
The building has undergone a remarkable transformation to create a living, thriving space that is open to all. The aim is to offer a welcoming environment, open daily and accessible to everyone.
The Wesley Centre has been conceived as a bold, inclusive space, transformed to serve Malton’s rapidly expanding community whilst honouring its legacy as a place of worship. The vision called for the establishment of a state-of-the-art facility, fully equipped to meet 21st-century needs. By blending heritage with innovation, this initiative has been substantially achieved and the evolving community of Malton and its people remain at the centre of everything that has been done so far.
At the heart of the Wesley Centre is a flexible 550-seat auditorium, the largest of its kind in the district of Ryedale. Our grand yet intimate main space has been thoughtfully and sensitively re-purposed to keep the community front and centre in our mission. The space functions as a classical concert hall, boasting a superb natural acoustic within the elegant cubic architectural form of the Georgian building. This makes the Wesley Centre a destination for some of the nation’s best classical artists and performers.
But the Wesley Centre is much more than a concert hall. It is a now also a venue for large public meetings and gatherings, for exhibitions and conferences, and large-scale banqueting in the near future. Adding to its vibrancy, a new community Café will open in the unique setting of the Wesley Centre, welcoming everyone six days a week from autumn 2025.
Alterations to the East Wing, completing a vision for community and place, for heritage, and innovation. The Wesley Centre has long stood as a beacon of community spirit, of cultural enrichment, and historical continuity.
For more than two centuries, it has served as a gathering place, a venue for concerts and meetings, and a testament to the town's ever-evolving identity. With the near-future completion of its final phase, the alterations to its East Wing, the Wesley Centre will embark on a bold new chapter, harmonising the preservation of tradition with the demands of a modern, thriving community. The conception of the renewed East Wing was never simply an act of expansion.
Rather, it was a response to the dreams and needs of Malton’s people, and pivotally, to ensure that the Wesley Centre can be sustainable for future generations.
The original East Wing structure, much altered in the last 100 years, and most recently again in the late 1990s, had increasingly become too impractical to contain the rich diversity of activities it inspired – and it had not been in the best structural condition.
These alterations to the ‘new’ East Wing, are conceived as the final phase of a meticulous restoration and enhancement plan, bringing to fruition a vision which has been more than a decade in the making.
Architectural harmony: where old meets new. A hallmark of the alterations to the East Wing is its sensitive approach to design. The project architects faced the distinct challenge of integrating new spaces within a Grade II* listed building, ensuring that every brick and beam respected the original Methodist Chapel’s architectural language. The alterations to the East Wing’s new Georgian inspired façade therefore draw inspiration form the building’s historic features complementing its arched windows, local stone, and decorative brickwork. Yet within, the Wing will be unashamedly contemporary, light-filled, with energy efficient spaces which are fully accessible. The interplay of heritage has been designed to be evident throughout.
Spaces for everyone: facilities and purpose. The true spirit of the altered East Wing lies in its adaptability. It will offer a suite of new multipurpose rooms designed to cater for an array of uses, as green rooms for the classical concert programming, as music rehearsal and tuition spaces, and for community workshops and private functions.
The now state-of-the-art large performance space, filled with an array of technical wizardry enables the Wesley Centre to host larger concerts, conferences and other larger events. The new smaller meeting rooms, equipped with digital connectivity, will offer local organisations, support groups, and small businesses a professional yet welcoming environment.
Accessibility has been a guiding principle throughout the design of this phase. Plans for the East Wing include step-free access throughout, a passenger lift to all levels and accessible WCs on each floor, ensuring that all members of the community, regardless of mobility or age, can participate fully in the Wesley Centre’s vibrant life.
The three-storey core of the adapted East Wing will provide a chamber for housing the reinstated historic pipe organ², complementing the classical music tradition and enhancing the Wesley Centre’s reputation for good music.
A larger professional catering kitchen on the ground floor of the East Wing will also be the backbone of an ability to cater for a seated meal for up to 150 people, or for larger receptions.
Community Impact: more than just bricks and mortar. The final phase of the Wesley Centre’s development is more than a physical transformation. It represents an investment in Malton’s social and cultural capital. By expanding its capacity, the Wesley Centre can now support a greater variety of events and initiatives, drawing in visitors from the wider Ryedale district and beyond. The altered East Wing will enable new partnerships to be forged with local schools, arts organisations, and charities, encouraging intergenerational learning and cultural exchange.
Overall, the project has created local employment opportunities during construction and ongoing roles in operations and programming. The Wesley Centre’s enhanced facilities have also made Malton a more attractive destination for performers, speakers, and creatives, further enriching the town’s cultural landscape and generating new footfall for its rural economy.
A legacy for future generations. With the new East Wing currently planned to open in late 2026/ early 2027 (subject to funding), the Wesley Centre stands as a testament to what a community can achieve when it honours the past while embracing the future.
The final phase marks not just the completion of a building project, but the beginning of a new era – one in which the people of Malton and beyond can gather, create, and celebrate together for generations to come.
Funding the new vision. The first phase of the planned redevelopment of the building, now renamed ‘The Wesley Centre’ – for a new age and an expanded purpose – was the £135,000 repair of the roof which was completed during the first half of 2018. The second phase, involving conversion of the adjacent and connected building to office accommodation was completed two years later at a cost of £230,000 – and the third phase commenced in the autumn of 2022, comprising the restoration and sensitive transformation of the large interior main space, with an investment of approximately £1.2 million.
Costs for the fourth and final phase (alterations to the East Wing) are estimated to be approximately £1.6 million.
With all permissions and detailed design work already in place, this final phase – which is pivotal to the sustainability of the whole building, will proceed as soon as additional funds are confirmed. To date, the Wesley Centre has invested more than £2.2 million for the project. Approximately £0.6 million of this has been contributed by the Methodist Church itself, at national, regional and local levels, with a further £0.5 million received in Government grants – with the balance so far of around £1 million from other grant making trusts, and through private donations and some loan finance.
The Wesley Centre is enormously appreciative of the funding so far from all its benefactors.
Moreover, it is so very grateful for the confidence that all of its donors and supporters have shown in the new vision for the Wesley Centre – amply demonstrated by the commitment to this level of funding from many organisations and private individuals.
¹The Fitzwilliam family and its successors have been the dynastical owners of approximately two-thirds of Malton’s residential and commercial property for more than 300 years.
²See section ‘The Building’ for further details of the soon to be reinstated pipe organ.
