Weymouth Bay Methodist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Weymouth Bay Methodist Church |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Methodist |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Weymouth, Dorset, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Saunders Architects of Southampton |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 2009 |
Weymouth Bay Methodist Church is a modern Methodist church located in Weymouth, Dorset, England. It was built between 2008 and 2009. This church was constructed to replace an older church, the Maiden Street Methodist Church. The original church, built much earlier in the 1860s, was badly damaged by a fire in 2002.
Contents
The Story of the Church
From Old to New: A Fresh Start
Weymouth's Methodist community used to gather at the Maiden Street Methodist Church. This church was built a long time ago, between 1866 and 1870. In 1999, the church had a big renovation that cost £160,000.
However, in January 2002, a fire badly damaged the building. It was so expensive to fix the old church that the people decided to build a brand new one instead.
Finding a New Home
In 2005, a new piece of land was bought at Melcombe Avenue. This spot used to have a different church on it. The old Maiden Street church was then sold in 2006 so that new buildings could be put there.
Saunders Architects from Southampton drew up the plans for the new church. It was designed to hold up to 240 people. The building was also planned to be a multi-use space. This means it could be used for community groups, performances, and art shows.
Building Challenges and Success
The first plans for the church were turned down in February 2006. The local council, Weymouth & Portland Borough Council, worried it would be too big. They thought it might not fit in with the other buildings nearby.
So, the architects made some changes to the plans. They removed the idea for a third floor and made the church a bit shorter. These new plans were approved in April 2006.
Construction of the church began in October 2007. Acheson Construction, a company from Dorchester, built it. The first stone was laid by Rev. David Plume on March 1, 2008.
The new Weymouth Bay Methodist Church cost £2.5 million. It officially opened on March 25, 2009. Rev. Stephen Poxon, who was the President of the Methodist Conference at the time, opened the church. When it opened, the groups from the old Maiden Street and Westham Churches joined together.
Church Design and Features
The church is built with red bricks. It has special corner stones and decorations made from Portland stone. The roofs are covered with Welsh slate.
The church has two floors. It features an interesting octagonal roof with a pyramid-shaped skylight. The back part of the church has a sloped roof, and there is a single-story porch at the front.
Inside the Church
On the ground floor, you will find the main worship area, called the sanctuary. There is also a smaller chapel, a foyer (entrance area), and a vestry. Other rooms include a Sunday school room, a meeting room, a kitchen, and restrooms.
The first floor has a gallery that looks down over the sanctuary. There is also a large hall on this floor.
In 2009, the church received an award from the Weymouth Civic Society. They praised its "thoughtful design," "impressive interior," and "excellent community facilities."
