Barsby is in north-east Leicestershire, near Ashby Folville.
It is fairly certain that a conventicle apparently noted at ‘Barsby cum membris’ in 1669 is actually a return from Barkby and Barkbythorpe. There is no return of dissenters for 1676, and it is possible that residents were enumerated with Ashby Folville.[1]
A small Wesleyan chapel was built in 1825,[2] and 20 people worshipped there in 1829.[3] The congregation appears to have grown rapidly. The chapel was enlarged in 1840 to provide 148 sittings, 72 of which were free, and on 30 March 1851 the single evening service was attended by 117 people. On alternate weeks there was also an afternoon service, which regularly attracted 90 worshippers, in addition to the weekly evening service. There was also a Sunday school attached to this chapel, which met in the morning and afternoon. On 30 March 1851 this was attended by 52 scholars in the morning and 61 in the afternoon.[4]
A church mission room was erected in 1887.[5]
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