| Administrative History | The chapel was erected in 1863. The stone came from a quarry on the side of Bamford Edge. It was transported free of charge by local farmers. It became colloqually known as 'The Little Chapel on the Hill !'. Before this Church was built, there were meetings in Thornhill, many apparently held in the Moot. The Sunday School continued in the Moot. The upper room was used for religious and parish purposes. Whilst the younger children were being taught in the upper room, there was a young men's fellowship in the room below. Although Thornhill did hold both Wesleyan and Primitive chapels, the Sunday Schools were a joint effort in which both scholars and teachers joined. Indeed, there was a Methodist Sunday School recorded at Thornhill in 1846. The Sunday School continued to use the Moot until the fuel shortage of the First World War forced them to use the Church. Both Zion and Wesleyan Churches were used alternatively for both Sunday School and Church Services until 1956, when woodworm rendered the Wesleyan ceiling unsafe.
In 1950, the administration of this chapel and the Mount Zion (Primitive) Methodist Chapel, also in Thornhill, was handed over to one body of Trustees. The chapel was redecorated as part of the centenary celebrations. In 1973 the Trustees took over the running of a building called The Moot, which since 1953 had been run by a management committee representing the Parish Meeting and the Methodist Church Trustees. |
| Custodial History | The records were deposited by the Peak Methodist Circuit between March 1978 and September 2001. A further depositor was received in May 2022. |