Walton on Thames Methodist Church
Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
After the momentous events of the Great Ejection in 1662, Archbishop Sheldon recorded an Independent ‘conventicle’ in Weybridge. Later, Congregationalists had a chapel which was forced to close as no trust was established. Sometime later services were held in a cottage but closed through local opposition.
Benjamin Scott, the Chamberlain of the City of London, moved to Weybridge in 1854 when the nearest Congregational Church was at Hersham so he arranged for services in a house in Weybridge, then in rooms in his own house and garden. He purchased a plot of land (£200) for a new church and the foundation stone was laid in 1864 by John Remington Mills, MP. The building cost of ₤2100 was raised by subscription. The architect was John Tarring and the builder Frank Saunders.
Weybridge Congregational Church was constituted in 1865. The opening of the building was delayed by the collapse of the spire when it was almost completed. The church is of ‘Decorated Gothic’ style in Kentish ragstone with Bath stone dressings.
Inside, at either ends of the chancel arch, are carvings of the heads of dissenters, the poet John Milton and hymn writer Isaac Watts. The heads on the exterior arches over the porch and northeast transept window represent the first three nonconformist martyrs, John Penry, Henry Barrowe and John Greenwood.
The organ, built by the famous Henry ‘Father’ Willis, has since been updated. As the congregation increased the SW transept (1871) and gallery (1877) were added. For the Centenary in 1965 the central pulpit was removed and choir pews moved to a transept, opening up the chancel area. A new pulpit and lectern were placed either side of the chancel and a remote organ console replaced the central tracker action.
The church became part of the United Reformed Church when this was formed from Congregational and Presbyterian Churches in 1972. The lecture hall (built behind the church in 1865) was home to a British School from 1871 until 1903 and many church activities were held there. It became inadequate for the increasing church and community activities and the present hall complex was built in 1984.
