Torbay Methodist Churches,
Devon, UK
Paignton - Torquay - Brixham
|
|
|
UNION STREET METHODIST CHURCHIn 1788 Edward and John Henley of Barton travelled to Exeter to hear John Wesley and were inspired to preach Methodism from a room in George Street, Torquay. Later Edward and his wife Mary held services in their home in Swan Street. In 1807 two cottages were acquired in Fleet Street and became the Chapel in the Meadow. In 1853 a chapel was built in Rock Road and in 1858 the Rock Road Schoolroom was constructed to house the Sunday School originally started in 1806 by an Anglican and taken over by Mary Henley in 1814. A site was purchased in Union Street to provide a larger Church and Schoolroom and in 1876 and 1877 the foundations of the new Wesleyan Schoolroom and Church were laid. The Schoolroom opened in 1878 and the Church in 1879; it cost £6,000 to build. The organ was installed in 1882. In 1926 a fire gutted the building but, undeterred, the congregation reconstructed the Church which was reopened in 1928. During the 1960's the Trustees considered ways to cope with rising costs and dwindling congregations and actually approached a development firm with the idea of building shops on the Union Street site with a church above. This proved abortive and instead the Union Street and Belgrave congregations entered into conversation with a view to uniting for common worship and mission. © Central Church, Torquay Click here to read about the first Torquay Methodist Church
|
Please contact us with questions or comments about this website. If you notice a broken link
please contact us to tell us about it - thank you.
|
