Bentham Preparative Meeting of the Society of Friends.

A group of First Publishers of Truth, William Dewsbury, Richard Farnsworth, Robert Fell and John Snowden, visited the market town of High Bentham in 1652 or 1653, and a number of local people were convinced. The response was not altogether favourable - Robert Fell died shortly after being attacked outside the local church. A Meeting was settled nonetheless, and was recorded in 1665 as part of Skipton Monthly Meeting, and again in 1669, as part of Settle Monthly Meeting. Its members included Jarvis Benson, George Bland, Richard Guy, Thomas Gibson, Tristram Ray and Jo[hn] Topham. A barn was bought in 1686 in Low Bentham (or Calf Cop) and adapted for meetings. By the early 18th century, the Meeting was flourishing and in need of larger premises. A new Meeting House was completed in 1720 and was in use until about 1797 when it was completely rebuilt. The Meeting was in decline by the early 19th century. In 1853 it became part of Brighouse Monthly Meeting. Friends began to meet separately for worship in neighbouring High Bentham and in 1866, the two Meetings were combined. A Meeting House and mission hall was built on Main Street, and used until 1973, when the Meeting returned to its 18th century home in Low Bentham. The Meeting is still in existence and has been part of the re-formed Settle Monthly Meeting since 1924.

From the guide to the Records of Bentham Preparative Meeting of the Society of Friends, 1652-1982, (GB 206 Leeds University Library)