Wesleyan Church, Aldershot facts for kids
The Wesleyan Church in Aldershot, England, was once a very important Methodist church. It closed its doors in 1988. This historic building is now a special Grade II* listed building. This means it's recognized as a very important building in England. Today, it's used for offices, a dental clinic, and a gym. You can find it at the corner of Grosvenor Road and Queens Road in Aldershot.
How Methodism Started in Aldershot
In 1856, a minister named Rev Dr William Harris Rule came to Aldershot. His goal was to start Methodist work among the soldiers there. He stayed until 1865. The main Methodist group, called the Wesleyan Connexion, helped pay for a special iron chapel. This chapel was built on Church Street and opened on July 10, 1857. Later, a house for the chaplain and a Soldiers' Home were added.
At first, the Army didn't officially recognize Methodism. Local Anglican chaplains also didn't like Dr. Rule's work. But Dr. Rule had support from Lieut-General William Knollys. By 1862, Methodism was accepted under "Other Protestants." This allowed the work to continue. Other Methodist groups, like the Primitive Methodists, had their own chapels. One was the Rotunda on Victoria Road, built in 1876. Another was the Ebenezer chapel on Ash Road, built in 1885.
Later, a large wall was built around the south of the Army Camp. This made the first chapel hard to reach. So, another minister, Rev Richard Watson Allen, found a new, better location. This new spot was on the corner of Queens Road and Grosvenor Road. It was very close to the barracks entrance. People later wrote about Mr. Allen's hard work:
"Mr Allen found a great spot in the town center. It was only a two-minute walk from the main Army Camp entrance. He got permission to raise money for the church. He worked very hard and bravely. The result was a wonderful church on one of Aldershot's best sites. Next to the church, a Soldiers' Home was built. It was one of the best for soldiers at that time. This amazing group of buildings, including a Wesley Hall added later, is one of the best in British Methodism. It still stands today, showing all the great work Mr. Allen did."
Building the church started in 1874. The Soldiers' Home next door was finished first. It had a lecture room, a library, and a place to eat. It opened on June 13, 1875. The impressive Wesleyan Methodist Church on Grosvenor Road opened on October 24, 1877. It had a 100-foot tower and could seat 1,150 people. The total cost to build it was £10,000.
Church Design and Special Features
The church was designed by William Willmer Pocock. It was built with local sandstone and Bath stone. The back part was made of brick with slate roofs. The main part of the church, called the nave, had side aisles and a chancel (the area around the altar). A tower was at the north-west corner. The building's style is Gothic Revival. It mixes different Gothic styles like Early English and Decorated. The large window at the front is in the Early English style.
An organ was added in 1906. The choir stalls and lectern were put in after the Methodist Union in 1932. This union brought together different Methodist groups. The smaller Primitive Methodist Rotunda chapel closed. Its members moved to the Wesleyan Church, making the congregation larger.
The church's tall tower is a well-known landmark in Aldershot. You can see it from far away. A clock was put in the tower in 1922. It was a memorial to Rev. Edward Pearce Lowry. He was a chaplain for the Army in Aldershot from 1892 to 1919. He is buried in Aldershot Military Cemetery.
Inside, the nave is supported by cast iron columns topped with Bath stone. Behind where the altar used to be, there is a beautiful reredos. This is a decorated screen made of mosaic and tiles. It showed the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer. The reredos remembers Frances Penelope Wharton Middleton. She was the daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis Watson, who fought in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Her husband, Richard Wharton Middleton, also fought at Waterloo. He placed a brass plaque there in 1882 to honor her.
The Methodist Union and What Happened Next
The church, with its Soldiers' Home and Hall, served Methodists for over 100 years. The support for soldiers moved to the Smith-Dorrien Home in 1925. In 1932, the Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists joined together in the Methodist Union. The Methodist people in Aldershot then worshipped at the Grosvenor Road church and the Ebenezer chapel on Ash Road.
The Ebenezer chapel closed in 1958 because it was no longer suitable. A new building was planned on a plot of land nearby. The first stone for this new building was laid on April 26, 1958. It opened onto Stone Street, so it became known as Aldershot Methodist Church.
In 1988, the Grosvenor Road church building was sold for £500,000. Its members then joined other churches in the Methodist Circuit. Some joined the Stone Street church. After the sale, the Grosvenor Road building was changed inside and out. It became the functional building you see today. It is now used for offices, a dental surgery, and a gym. The architects who converted it won an award in 1992 for their design.
