The first church in Bathurst was established in 1832, formerly called the Wesleyan Chapel. Now referred to as the Bathurst Methodist church, it deservedly achieved national monument status in 1989. The church celebrates its 190th anniversary in 2022. The Wesleyan Chapel was built by Samuel Bradshaw, who also built the wool mill and the Anglican Church.
The siting of the Clumber Church was central to the Nottingham Party of 1820, the area where this Party from Nottinghamshire, England, settled. They formed a part of some 3800 persons, known as the 1820 Settlers, the majority of whom settled in the area between what is now known as Port Elizabeth and the Great Fish River, the Eastern border of the Cape Colony; a region known as the Zuurveld.
The Anglican church in Bathurst is the church of St John the Evangelist, it is a church with a long and interesting history. The worshippers at this church are mainly from the village of Bathurst and the surrounding farming community.
