Preston Patrick Local Quaker Meeting

Preston Patrick Friends Meeting House is situated about 2 miles from Junction 36 on the M6 Motorway. It can be found down a country lane off the A65 which links Preston Patrick and the village of Endmoor.

The first Meeting House was built in 1691; nearly 40 years after George Fox, during his wanderings in the North-West, first encountered a group of dissenters in the area. These dissenters, known as the Westmorland Seekers, played a pivotal role in the birth and growth of early Quakerism.

The original Meeting House fell into disrepair following the demise and closure of the Meeting in 1833. With the re-emergence of Quakers in the area some thirty years later, the old building was demolished and in 1869 the existing Meeting house was erected on the same site.

In the course of the past few years the membership of Preston Patrick Meeting has again seriously declined. The combined effect of our fairly remote location and our ageing membership has sadly reduced the numbers attending Meeting for Worship. Occasional visitors boost our numbers to around fifteen, but more commonly half a dozen Friends commune together, mostly in silence.

In the recent past our activities have spread beyond our regular Meetings for Worship on Sundays at 10.30 am to include study groups, ecuminical events, social gatherings, prayer groups and musical concerts.

Our numbers may be small but our spirit is great. Visitors may be assured of a warm and spiritual home at Preston Patrick, and hopefully we might take on a new lease of life.