Two Traditions, One Bradley Church

For much of Bradley’s history, Anglicans and Methodists worshipped separately.

They had different buildings, different traditions and different patterns of worship. Even within Methodism, Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists once maintained separate congregations in the village.

Today the story is very different.

Anglicans and Methodists now worship together in the Methodist Chapel in the centre of Bradley.

We call it simply the Bradley Church.

Separate beginnings

Methodism has been part of Bradley life since at least 1779, when the village already had organised Methodist classes.

During the nineteenth century, two distinct Methodist traditions developed. Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists had their own chapels, Sunday Schools, preachers and communities.

Bradley’s Anglican story developed separately.

Beginning with worship in a house, the Anglican congregation later moved into a tin tabernacle. Then, in the early 1960s, an unexpected opportunity arose.

Bradley’s two Methodist congregations had united and chosen the chapel on Skipton Road as their home.

Their former Wesleyan chapel at Hillside became available.

A Methodist chapel becomes an Anglican church

In 1961, the former Hillside Wesleyan Chapel passed into Anglican hands.

After adaptation, it opened on 3 March 1963 as St Mary’s Church, with the Bishop of Bradford leading the service.

For more than sixty years, Bradley therefore had two principal places of Christian worship: the Methodist Chapel on Skipton Road and the Anglican church of St Mary’s at Hillside.

The buildings were separate, but the relationship between the Christian communities was changing.

Growing together

Across the Church of England and the Methodist Church, the twentieth century brought a growing commitment to Christians working and worshipping together.

That story was lived locally too.

Anglicans and Methodists in Bradley increasingly shared in the Christian life of the village. The old boundaries which had once defined congregations so strongly became less important.

Yet the two communities continued to have their own buildings.

Until 2026.

A new chapter

On 15 February 2026, the Anglican congregation gathered at St Mary’s for the final service in the building.

It was a service of thanksgiving as well as farewell. The booklet described St Mary’s as having been for more than sixty years “a place of prayer for the people of Bradley” and looked ahead to worship continuing in “new and shared spaces”.

Those words pointed directly towards what would happen next.

The Anglican congregation did not establish another Anglican church building.

Instead, it moved to join the Methodists.

Together at the Bradley Church

From Sunday 1 March 2026, Anglican worship continued in the Methodist Chapel in the centre of Bradley. The final service booklet described the move as continuing to “pray, worship, and share in the life of faith together”.

Today, Anglicans and Methodists share the building.

We call it the Bradley Church.

That simple name says something important.

It is not an attempt to forget the traditions which brought us here. Methodist and Anglican identities remain part of our story.

Instead, the name expresses something about the Christian community we are seeking to be: a church for Bradley in which Christians from different traditions can worship and serve together.

A remarkable circle

There is a wonderful symmetry to Bradley’s story.

For generations, Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists worshipped separately.

They eventually came together and chose Skipton Road as their shared home.

The Wesleyans’ former Hillside Chapel then became the Anglican church of St Mary’s.

More than sixty years later, when St Mary’s closed, the Anglican congregation moved to Skipton Road too.

The building which had once represented one particular strand of Bradley Methodism had become a shared home.

It took more than two centuries to get here.

Different traditions, shared faith

Anglican and Methodist worship are not identical. Each tradition brings its own history, spirituality and ways of doing things.

But beneath those differences is a shared Christian faith.

We worship the same God.

We follow the same Jesus Christ.

We share the same hope.

And we seek together to serve the same village.

Perhaps that is the most important part of Bradley’s Christian history. The story has not ended with the closure of an old building or the preservation of something from the past.

It has led to a new Christian community.

The story continues

Bradley’s Christian story has included houses and chapels, a tin tabernacle and St Mary’s. It has included Wesleyans, Primitive Methodists and Anglicans.

Buildings have opened and closed. Denominations have divided and reunited. Patterns of worship have changed.

But people have continued to gather to pray, worship and serve.

Today we do that together at the Bradley Church.

Two traditions. One Christian faith. One Bradley Church.

10/09/2026

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Welcome

If you're new to church, new to the area, returning after some time away, or simply wondering whether church might be for you, you are very welcome at Kildwick, Cononley & Bradley.

You don't need to know what to do, what to say or even what you believe. Just come as you are. Our churches are places where people can worship, ask questions, find friendship and explore faith together.

We are one parish with three churches: St Andrew's Kildwick, St John's Cononley and The Bradley Church. Each is a little different, but wherever you join us, we hope you will find a warm welcome.

Find our Sunday services

What are we about?

At the heart of our life together is Jesus Christ and his call to love God and love our neighbour.

For many years we have expressed our mission in four simple words:

Sharing, Caring, Growing in Christ

In Christ

Everything begins with God's love for us in Jesus Christ. We don't come to church because we have everything sorted out. We come to worship, to pray, to learn and to discover more of what it means to follow Jesus.

Growing

Faith is a journey. None of us has all the answers, and there is always more to discover. Through worship, prayer, the Bible and one another, we seek to grow in faith and in our understanding of God.

Caring

Following Jesus means caring for one another and for the communities around us. We seek to put God's love into practice through friendship, compassion, service and care for our neighbours.

Sharing

The good news of Jesus is something to be shared. We want to share God's hope, love and peace through what we say, but also through how we live and how we serve others.

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This is reflected in our vision for the parish:

Living out our faith, rooted in service; embracing everybody equally.

We want these to be more than words. They describe the kind of Christian community we are seeking to become.

What happens if I come on Sunday?

You don't need to book or let us know that you're coming. Just turn up.

Our services vary across our three churches. Some are traditional celebrations of Holy Communion, while others are more informal. You can find the time and location of this week's services on our Sunday Services page.

When you arrive, there will usually be someone to welcome you and give you anything you need for the service. You are welcome to sit wherever you like.

Don't worry if you aren't familiar with the service or don't know when to stand or sit. Just follow along as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. Nobody will mind if you get something 'wrong'.

See our Sunday services

Do I need to be a Christian?

No.

You might have been a Christian for many years, be returning to church after a long time away, have lots of questions, or simply be curious.

You don't have to have faith sorted out before coming to church. Exploring, questioning and sometimes doubting are all part of the journey.

Whatever your background, faith or spiritual beliefs, you are welcome.

What should I wear?

Whatever you normally wear!

There is no dress code. Some people dress smartly, others come in jeans and trainers. Come in whatever makes you comfortable.

What about children?

Children and families are very welcome at our churches.

We know that children make noise, move around and don't always behave like adults, and that's absolutely fine. Please don't worry about having to keep them perfectly quiet.

We also have activities especially for children and families throughout the year.

Find out about Children & Families

Will I be expected to give money?

No.

There may be an opportunity to give during or after a service, but visitors should never feel under any pressure to contribute. Please simply be our guest.

Can I receive Communion?

If you normally receive Holy Communion in your own church, you are welcome to receive with us.

If you would prefer not to receive Communion, you are still very welcome to come forward for a blessing, or simply remain in your seat. There is no pressure either way.

Accessibility

Accessibility varies between our three historic church buildings. You can find specific access information on each church's page, or please contact us if we can help you plan your visit.

Getting involved

Coming to a Sunday service is only one way to be part of our parish.

Throughout the week there are opportunities to meet people, pray, learn, sing, serve our communities and simply spend time together. Have a look at our What's On pages to see what might interest you.

You can also sign up for our weekly email newsletter to find out what's happening across Kildwick, Cononley & Bradley.

See What's On
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Still have questions?

Please get in touch. It doesn't matter whether your question is about a service, accessibility, children, faith, or simply which of our churches might be right for you.

We would be very happy to help.

Contact Us

A word from Mike

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I'm Mike Green, the Vicar of Kildwick, Cononley & Bradley.

Finding your way into a church for the first time can sometimes feel daunting, particularly if you're not sure what to expect. I hope you'll discover that you don't need to know the right words, understand everything we do, or have all the answers before you come.

Whoever you are, and wherever you are on your journey of faith, there is a place for you here.

I hope we'll have the opportunity to welcome you in person soon.

Best wishes,
Revd Mike