was born on the 17th of June 1703 (The 28th of June in the
modern The 15th of 19 children born to Samuel Wesley, Rector of
Epworth, and his wife Susanna. was isolated and poverty-
stricken. Only a few could read or write and the people were
deeply suspicious of outsiders. But together with Susanna,
Samuel Wesley campaigned for social justice and particularly the
care of widows and orphans. He believed that Christian living
depended on acts as well as faith. This puritan parental
influence would be the inspiration for John Wesley’s work, and
that of his brother Charles, who went on to write over 6000
hymns. John Wesley was baptised at his father’s Church, St
Andrew’s in Epworth, and worshipped here as a child. The Old
Rectory in Epworth was the Wesley family home until 1735. It was
rebuilt after fire destroyed the original building 1709. It is
suspected that this fire was an act of arson perpetrated by
opponents of Samuel Wesley. could have killed the six year-old
John, but he escaped from a first floor window.