Robert Carr Brackenbury
Encyclopedia
Robert Carr Brackenbury was born in 1752 at Panton House, near Wragby, Lincolnshire. His biographer, Terence R Leach, Brackenbury’s biographer, describes him as a ‘poet, practitioner, philanthropist and mystic’. Brackenbury was educated at Felsted School
and St Catharine's College, Cambridge University.
However his skills as an orator were also well recognised throughout the county, and indeed throughout the country, and he was in high demand to speak at the opening ceremonies of Methodist chapels throughout England. He remained an active preacher throughout his life, even taking Methodism to Jersey, where his legacy is still well remembered.
In 1779, Brackenbury constructed a Methodist chapel
above the stables in the grounds of his estate in Raithby by Spilsby
, Lincolnshire. Raithby Hall was also constructed by Brackenbury around this time. The chapel was completed before the house, which was just a ‘shell’ when John Wesley
visited Brackenbury on 5 July 1779 to open the chapel. John Wesley was the founder of Methodism
and a great friend of Brackenbury. Brackenbury was held in high regard by John Wesley and despite never being ordained, was appointed by Wesley to be part of the ‘Legal Hundred’, a conference of esteemed ministers who advised Wesley and provided guidance on the appointment of preachers.
Wesley writes of his visits to Raithby and to Brackenbury’s home fondly, after a visit in 1779 he wrote that he ‘could not but observe, while the landlord and his tenants were standing together, how “Love, like Death, maketh all distinctions void.”
He was remarried in 1795 to married Sarah Holland, also a dedicated Methodist. Sarah was very much Robert’s junior, and survived him by almost 20 years. Records indicate that Sarah continued her husband’s ministry after his death; the 1841 census lists her occupation, as ‘Cure of Souls Without Clerk In Holy Orders’. Despite two marriages, Robert Carr Brackenbury died without any children. Upon the death of his second wife, Sarah, his estate was sold, in an impoverished state, to the Reverend Edward Rawnsley (1816–1905).
Felsted School
Felsted School, an English co-educational day and boarding independent school, situated in Felsted, Essex. It is in the British Public School tradition, and was founded in 1564 by Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich who, as Lord Chancellor and Chancellor of the Court of Augmentations, acquired...
and St Catharine's College, Cambridge University.
Methodism
Robert Carr Brackenbury was from a wealthy Lincolnshire family. His chosen career as a Methodist preacher was ‘far removed from what might be expected of a wealthy 18th century Lincolnshire squire’. As a Methodist preacher, Brackenbury was very influential, and proved instrumental in the spread of Methodism in Lincolnshire. Terence Leach suggests a great deal of his influence stemmed from his social standing, for he was ‘the only person in his social sphere who showed any interest in the Methodist cause’.However his skills as an orator were also well recognised throughout the county, and indeed throughout the country, and he was in high demand to speak at the opening ceremonies of Methodist chapels throughout England. He remained an active preacher throughout his life, even taking Methodism to Jersey, where his legacy is still well remembered.
In 1779, Brackenbury constructed a Methodist chapel
Chapel at Raithby Hall
The small Methodist chapel at Raithby by Spilsby is the oldest Methodist chapel in Lincolnshire, and one of the oldest in England. It is one of the few surviving chapels that was opened by John Wesley, the founding father of Methodism, and is still in use today...
above the stables in the grounds of his estate in Raithby by Spilsby
Raithby by Spilsby
Raithby is a village and civil parish located about north west of the town of Spilsby, Lincolnshire, England. After visiting Raithby in 1788, John Wesley, the founder of Wesleyan Methodism declared it ‘an earthly paradise’...
, Lincolnshire. Raithby Hall was also constructed by Brackenbury around this time. The chapel was completed before the house, which was just a ‘shell’ when John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
visited Brackenbury on 5 July 1779 to open the chapel. John Wesley was the founder of Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
and a great friend of Brackenbury. Brackenbury was held in high regard by John Wesley and despite never being ordained, was appointed by Wesley to be part of the ‘Legal Hundred’, a conference of esteemed ministers who advised Wesley and provided guidance on the appointment of preachers.
Wesley writes of his visits to Raithby and to Brackenbury’s home fondly, after a visit in 1779 he wrote that he ‘could not but observe, while the landlord and his tenants were standing together, how “Love, like Death, maketh all distinctions void.”
Family
Robert Carr Brackenbury was married twice. His first marriage in 1882 ended two years later with the death of his wife Jane, who was aged just 24.He was remarried in 1795 to married Sarah Holland, also a dedicated Methodist. Sarah was very much Robert’s junior, and survived him by almost 20 years. Records indicate that Sarah continued her husband’s ministry after his death; the 1841 census lists her occupation, as ‘Cure of Souls Without Clerk In Holy Orders’. Despite two marriages, Robert Carr Brackenbury died without any children. Upon the death of his second wife, Sarah, his estate was sold, in an impoverished state, to the Reverend Edward Rawnsley (1816–1905).