Members of Eastburn Methodist Church are celebrating its 150th anniversary.

In the mid-19th century — when people still travelled by horse and cart, Darwin first published his Origin of Species and primitive Methodism began to spread in Britain — the first stones were laid for Eastburn Methodist Church.

Now leading members of the congregation have organised a packed 12-month schedule of events to mark the milestone.

Among them is an exhibition in August showing how the church and village have developed together as time and technology have grown.

Church treasurer Jean Ainsworth said that when the first people began to settle in Eastburn, land was bought for a Methodist Church which was soon to double up as a Sunday school and social hub of the village. That school was later to branch off and become what is now Eastburn Junior and Infant School, which has just celebrated its centenary.

Ms Ainsworth said: “I think the cricket club and a football club used to run from the church as well. A lot has changed — we used to have over 100 pupils on the Sunday school books and 20 teachers. It continued until the 1990s but children have a lot of different things to do on a Sunday now.

“We are a small congregation and have many elderly members but last Sunday the Rev Les Dawson, who used to lead the Youth Mission Team 40 years ago, came back from Manchester to lead a service.

“That was lovely because lots of people who had been in his team all those years ago came to see and talk to him.”

Other events in the anniversary year line-up include a service on the celebration of marriage, led by the Rev Alan Raine, on August 9. And a memorial service — led by the Rev Charlotte Common — celebrating the lives of loved ones who have died is planned for later in the year.

For further details, contact the Rev Jennifer Lunn on 01535 655265.