Castle Hill Baptist Church facts for kids
Castle Hill Baptist Church in Warwick, England, is a very old church. It was started in the 1600s. This was a time when many churches that were not part of the main Church of England faced difficulties. However, Castle Hill Church was often protected by Lord Brooke from Warwick Castle.
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Early Days and First Buildings
At first, the church members met secretly in people's homes. This was because of the challenges they faced. In 1655, Castle Hill Church hosted a special meeting. At this meeting, the Midland Baptist Association was formed. This group is now called the Heart of England Baptist Association. Six other Baptist churches from the Midlands joined this meeting.
Finding a Permanent Home
By 1685, the church began meeting at its current location. They were given a garden plot to use as a cemetery. This was important because non-Anglican churches had rules about burials. For the next 15 years, the church continued to meet in a house on this plot. Then, in 1700, they built their very first church building there. This was a big step for the community.
Important Milestones
During this time, the church also started keeping continuous records from 1697. This means we can learn a lot about their history. Around 1710, they also began singing hymns during their services. This made their worship more lively.
Growth and Changes in the 18th and 19th Centuries
The first church building lasted about 40 years. After that, John Cohen Rylands became the minister. His son later helped start the Baptist Missionary Society. Throughout the 1700s, the number of church members changed. It was usually between 30 and 100 people. Only adults who had been baptized could become full members. This rule stayed in place until 1930.
New Programs and Challenges
In the late 1700s, the church started a Sunday school. This was a new way to teach children. However, the early 1800s were still tough times for the church. By 1820, it was almost going to close down. But Lawrence Tatham, a church leader, worked hard and saved it.
A Growing Congregation
In the early 1830s, new laws called the Reform Acts changed voting rules. This caused some disagreements within the church, and it split for a while. But about ten years later, the church grew a lot. So many people joined that they needed to make the church building bigger.
A Grand New Building and Later Difficulties
Even the expanded building became too small. In 1866, a much larger church was built. It was designed in the Gothic revival style. This new building replaced the old one from the 1740s. It covered almost the entire site, including the old graveyard. This grand building served the church for 120 years.
Updates and Worries
In 1905, the Midland Baptist Association celebrated its 250th anniversary. To mark this, the church building was updated inside. They also installed a pipe organ. By the mid-1900s, however, the 1866 church building started having serious problems. It was damaged by woodworm and dry rot. These issues made the building unsafe. The number of church members also became very small again. It looked like the church might face the same problems it had in 1820. Fixing the old building seemed impossible because the church did not have enough money.
Building a Modern Church
Creating a new church building was a long process. It started in 1970. That year, the pub next door to the church became available to buy. After many challenges, including the church secretary lending his own money, the church bought the pub and its car park. This purchase used up almost all of the church's money.
Expanding Facilities
In 1976, the church bought more property. They bought the church hall from St Nicholas parish church. The old pub became general-purpose rooms for the church. The church hall was used for youth activities. The car park was very helpful in the busy center of Warwick. However, the 1866 church building continued to get worse. By 1986, it was too unsafe to use for services. Sunday services had to move to the church hall they bought earlier.
Overcoming Obstacles
The late 1980s and early 1990s saw real progress on the new building plans. But in 1993, Warwick Town Council, supported by English Heritage, said the 1866 building had to be saved. This was because it was an important historic building. So, the first plan for the new building was not approved. After more struggles, including with the Royal Fine Art Commission, a new plan was finally approved in 1997.
Funding and Completion
The new building was estimated to cost about £650,000. The money was raised in several ways. Church members gave donations, they received grants from charities, and they took out bank loans. In April 1998, the last service was held in the old church before it was taken down. The new building was finished less than a year later.
Castle Hill Church Today
The church has really thrived in its new building. It hosts many activities every week. These include two Sunday services, a playgroup for young children, a toddlers' group, a prayer meeting, and a youth group. In 2019, the church decided to spend £86,000 to refurbish both the church and the church hall. This work was completed in 2020. The current minister of the church is Reverend Kevin Johnson.
