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Northwich Church-how we used to be |
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"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."Matthew 11:28
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Although Northwich Methodists
worshipped in the town earlier in rented accommodation, the foundation
stone of the first Chapel, in the London Road area, wasn’t laid until 1774. John Wesley himself
consecrated the new building the following year.
It was only the second chapel to be built in Cheshire, the first being the Octagon in Chester. In 1812 it was enlarged to meet growing demand. This first building was superseded by the building of a large new chapel at London Road in 1889. In October 1875 land was purchased in Station Road and a Sunday School was built and opened there in 1879. However the building soon became inadequate for the growing congregation and a new chapel was built and opened there in 1881. Meanwhile in the early 1800s the rise of Primitive Methodism took place, with a return to much open air preaching. However in 1875 land was purchased in Witton Street and in 1876 the memorial stones were laid for the Primitive New Chapel and Schools. This site is where the present church stands, though the original Primitive Chapel went through some important changes before it was finally demolished to make way for the building where Methodists in the town now worship. The Primitive Chapel was later known as Bourne Methodist Church when the different branches of Methodism united in 1932. In 1979 the old church building became unsafe and closed. London Road Church had closed in the mid-sixties with the congregation being divided between Station Road and Bourne Churches. Later services were held alternate weeks at Station Road and Bourne. When Station Road also closed in the late seventies, All the members came together in the Witton Street building. The Witton Street Sunday School building was refurbished and in 1980 opened as the church. In 1989, however, this building also had to be demolished. Amazingly by 1990 a completely new building had been erected on the site, the present Northwich Methodist Church. Work was partly funded by compensation from the Cheshire Brine Subsidence Compensation Board. There are scrapbooks at the back of church which give many more details of the history of the buildings and the activities which have taken place over the years. |
London Road Church
Station Road Church
Primitive Methodist Chapel - later Bourne Church
The refurbished Sunday School/Church
Northwich Methodist Church today |
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