What was a 'dissenter' in 1878?

[TrevorFranklin]

Online book that has been digitised in Uni of California has reference to my researched family of the Pursgloves of Sussex.

In another part of this quiet churchyard, there
arc twenty-six gravestones in rows, evidently bearing
record to the memory of one family. The name on
them was that of Pursglove—"
once," said the clerk,
" the Pursglovcs were well known here ; and they are
all gone. They were farmers, and all of them were
dissenters. We have no Pursgloves in this part of
Sussex now."

There are only 12 stones now, as they have all been moved to the outer edges of the church, with many now missing.

But what was the reference dissenter?

I know that they were firstly members of the CoE parish church, then went on to form an independent chapel, so could this be what they mean?

[Deb N]

I googled and found this....

1. One who dissents: political dissenters.
2. often Dissenter One who refuses to accept the doctrines or usages of an established or a national church, especially a Protestant who dissents from the Church of England.

[Janet in Yorkshire]

Often refers to non C of E - i.e Methodists (Wesleyans or Primitives, although in my part of the country farmers were usually Wesleyans and their labourers Primitives.)

[Uncle John]

I'd say it refers to them going off to form another sect. I wonder if the chapel was independent (not unknown, even these days) or attached to an existing non-conformist sect (e.g. Methodist, Baptist, Congregational, Unitarian, etc. etc.).

[Little Nell]

Dissenters were people who didn't agree with the established church (ie Church of England). It would be interesting to find out when and why your lot founded another sect.

[Mary from Italy]

There was a big religious revival in the 1800s, and lots of people switched from the CofE to Baptist and similar churches.

[Penelope]

Redacted

[Olde Crone Holden]

OK, hair splitting coming up.

I have always thought - quite possibly wrongly! - that there was a difference between non conformists and dissenters.

Nonconformists had NEVER had anything to do with the established church. Dissenters HAD, but had broken away for one reason or another - to join another religion, to start a chapel of their own, etc.

However, in the year this question is referring to, I would be sure they had been members of the C of E, but broke away, that is they dissented from the C of E creed, where they had once ASSented to it.

OC

[TrevorFranklin]

The Pursgloves were Wardens at the CoE parish church in Herstmonceux Sussex up to the early 1800's

They then switched to the methodist faith.
I have seen the deeds of the Herstmonceux Congregational Church (in Chapel Row), where Mr John Pursglove, his son Robert Pursglove and some of the Hunniset family funded the church building.
John and Robert were involved in the church up to 1865.
John died and Robert was caught 'with his fingers in the till', so left Herstmonceux in disgrace.

Their cousin, also called John, was enumerator on the 1851 census and was also School Master at the local church school, though funnily enough, his son George was completely illeterate, as he signs his 4 marriage certs (yes 4 marriages!) with a cross.

I also have copies of letters written by a slavery abolishenist, who stayed with them in this period and gave a number of meetings in the area

Only John the schoolmaster (my Gt Gt Gt Grandfather) was buried at the chapel, as the rest had moved to London by the 1881 census.

[Penelope]

Redacted

[Janet]

Dissenters did NOT include Roman Catholics.

Dissenters are as follows:

Dissenters
These were people who disagreed with the teachings of the Church of England - they dissented. Sometimes these people are also called Nonconformists because they refused to conform (do as they were told) to the law saying that everyone was to be an Anglican. There is a great range of Dissenters, including:

Unitarians
Congregationalists
Baptists
Methodists
Quakers

Janet