The origin and spread of the early Baptist churches in the North West of England and elsewhere

The origins of Baptist churches go back to the 1600s. 

The very first Baptist church began in 1609 and was for English speaking Christians based in the Netherlands, relocating to London in 1611 (Thomas Helwys). These churches were known as "General Baptists" and followed the theology of Arminius and the Anabaptists. 

A second genesis of Baptist churches was in London in about 1638 (John Spilsbury). These churches followed the Reformed Theology of John Calvin and the Synod of Dordt. In 1644, the First London Baptist Confession was signed by seven Baptist churches in the capital. 

Baptist churches later spread from London outwards. 

During the time of the English Civil War (1642-1651), there were Baptist Christians in the New Model Army of Oliver Cromwell. In 1648 the New Model Army campaigned in Lancashire during the Second Civil War. 

1. John Wigan & the "Coldhouse cause" 

During the time of the English Civil War (1642-1651), John Wigan (d. 1665), formerly a Church of England Minister at Gorton, became pastor of a Baptist church meeting in Chetham's hospital, which is now part Chetham's College of Music in Manchester. On his departure around 1654, this congregation continued under the leadership of John Jones and Edward Gathorne. 

From 1657, the congregation met at the Collegiate church (now the Church of England Cathedral at Manchester) where Henry Newcome, at that time a Presbyterian in conviction, served as assistant minister. Henry Newcome continued to preach at the collegiate church of Manchester until 1662, and his dissenting congregation subsequently went "underground". For a time, Henry Newcome was forced to live at Ellenbrook (Worsely), just outside the prescribed five mile radius from his former church. He was allowed to return in 1670, and in 1687 (the year of James II's "toleration") fitted out a barn ("Coldhouse Barn") for worship on a street now known as Thorniley Brow. After the Act of Toleration (1689), in 1694, a new "Dissenters' meeting house", later known as "Cross Street Chapel", was completed with Henry Newcome serving as minister. 

Under Rev. Joseph Mottershead (Minister 1717 – 1771), Cross Street Chapel became Unitarian, and the Trinitarian contingent left and went back to Coldhouse Barn, later calling James Winterbottom as minister. In 1740, Coldhouse Chapel was built, with a mixed membership of Independents and Baptists. In 1762, the Independents left to form a congregation at Hunter's Croft (later known as "Cannon Street Independent Church"). After 20 years of being pastorless, the remaining Baptist Coldhouse Chapel congregation called John Sharp as minister in 1786, and it was he who in 1789 built Back Lane chapel (now Rochdale Road) where William Gadsby was pastor from 1805-1844. 

Here is an excerpt from a book entitled, "William Gadsby" by Ian J. Shaw: 

"The Baptist church in Manchester had a long and venerable tradition, and was considered to have been the first in the whole of the [Anglican] province of York. It was founded through the work of John Wigan, curate of Gorton, who in 1641 rejected Presbyterianism and adopted Baptist views. During the Civil War, Baptists met at Chetham's hospital, under the leadership of a colonel in the Parliamentary army. By 1649, the 'Anabaptist' cause was meeting in the Old Baron's Manor House. After the 1662 Act of Uniformity forced Puritans to either conform to the liturgy and authority of the Anglican church or leave, Manchester Baptists and Independents joined together to build Coldhouse Chapel, where they met until 1762, when the Independents left to build Cannon Street Independent Chapel. In 1786, John Sharp was called to pastor the small remaining group of Baptists. Within three years their numbers had increased to thirty-eight, and a decision was taken to build a new chapel on Baptist Street, a road which was later renamed successively Back Lane, then St George's Road, and finally Rochdale Road. Sharp stayed until 1797, when he moved to Bristol."

Thus, when William Gadsby was called as pastor of Back Lane Chapel in 1805, this was the only Baptist congregation in Manchester at the time. In 1808, a group seceded from Back Lane Chapel for form a new congregation on York Street. Another secession from Back Lane Chapel was in 1823, leading to the formation of new congregation on George Street.

2. Hill Cliffe Baptist Church (Warrington) 

There is also a Baptist Church at Warrington (Hill Cliffe Baptist Church) which goes back at least to 1654, and maybe much earlier. Arguably, the first pastor was Thomas Lowe who served from 1650 (d. 1695). It was from this church that churches were started at Newton, Warrington and Liverpool in Lancashire (the latter, by Daniel Fabius in 1700); Nantwich, Middlewich, Cherry Lane (Lymm), Brassey Green (Tarporley), [Great] Warford (Alderley Edge), Knutsford, Bickerton, Milton (Acton Bridge), Kingsley and Chester in Cheshire, and elsewhere.  

3. Yorkshire & Lancashire Association of Baptist Churches

By 1695, the Yorkshire and Lancashire Association of Baptist Churches was already formed, and represented by six churches: Rawdon, Tottlebank, Bacup (started in in 1691 and first pastored by William Mitchell), Sutton, Heptonstall and Barnoldswick. William Mitchell and David Crossley in establishing the "chain of Baptist causes across Lancashire and Yorkshire" at this time. Later, in the 1700s, we hear of Baptist churches across historic Lancashire in places such as Liverpool (started 1700), Newchurch, Goodshaw (1760), Lumb (1750), Rossendale, Preston (1782) and Rochdale (1775). In 1806, a meeting of the Yorkshire and Lancashire Association of Baptist churches was held at Accrington.