In 1652 George Fox climbed Pendle Hill in Lancashire and had a vision of "...a great people to be gathered...". For years he had been disillusioned by those who called themselves Christians and did not live up to their Christian standards. He had been travelling, meeting and talking with people in search of answers but to no avail. After his vision he started to come across individuals and small groups in the north of England in sympathy with his views. Fox's personal experience of an inward God, without the need of any intermediaries such as priests, was central to his faith. Out of this emerged the group we know today as the Religious Society of Friends or Quakers, [originally a derogatory name for the early Friends who quaked when experiencing the spirit]. The movement grew at a tremendous pace, reflecting a hunger to escape the excesses of the established church and to return to original Christianity.
Quakerism came into the Wooldale area at its very dawn in the early 1650's. Many became convinced, holding meetings to start with in private houses. These meetings were declared illegal- many Quakers suffered fines, confiscation of goods and imprisonment for their beliefs. The Jackson family of Meal Hill in Hepworth and Totties Hall were largely instrumental in establishing Wooldale Meeting. George Fox visited Meal Hill in 1669 and had "...a great meeting..."
The exact date of the Meeting House itself is unknown but it was probably in existence by the time of the Act of Toleration [1689]. The building was repaired and enlarged to its current size in 1783. It is now Grade II listed. The building with its simple, plain and historic atmosphere creates a welcoming place to those wishing to explore the Quaker way.
PLAIN COUNTRY FRIENDS - The Quakers of Wooldale, High Flatts and Midhope. This book is a History of rural Quakers from 1654 to the present illustrating the changing patterns of Quaker social life and religious thought. This highly detailed and informative book is based upon numerous local original sources many of which have previously not been published. Authors - David Bower and John Knight. 200 pages of local history - £5.00. Available from Wooldale Meeting House.