The Wesleyan Methodist Church at Earlestown was formed by a few staunch Wesleyans from Salford, who had been transferred from the Ordsall Lane Wagon Works to the Viaduct in 1853. Soon after their arrival, rooms were made available at the ‘Long Room’ in the Viaduct Works, but the congregation was later moved twice to other premises and eventually began work to build their own chapel in 1866.

After many setbacks, the chapel opened in 1867. An upper room was used for Sunday services, and the lower one was used initially for a Sunday school, and later for a day school. The school flourished, and needed more room. The accommodation of the chapel was also becoming inadequate. The result was to build a new larger chapel and to use all the existing chapel for the day school. The new chapel, providing accommodation for 750 worshippers, was opened in June 1880.

This chapel was later demolished, and a new chapel was built on neighbouring Chapel Street. The building is now shared between the United Reformed Church and the Newton Methodist Church.