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History of the
Methodist Church in Aldershot.
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The original
Methodist church in this eastern part of the town was the Ash Rd Primitive
Methodist Chapel on the corner of Ash Rd and Herrett St. Opened in 1885
and known as "The Ebenezer" it had six foundation stones all
bearing the date 14th October 1885.
The
Grosvenor Road Methodist Church was of the Wesleyan branch of
Methodism. The Church was opened on the 24th October 1877 and with
a Soldiers Home and Hall this complex served Methodist servicemen for
over a hundred years. (The work of the Soldiers Home was transferred to
the Smith Dorrien Home in 1925.)
Nationally
the two churches, Wesleyans and Primitives, united in 1932 and in
Aldershot the churches welcomed the union and continue serving the
people of Aldershot to the present day.
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Ash Road Methodist Church
served as a place of worship until 1958 when the land at the junction of Stone
St and Herrett St became available and the church executive sold the old
building and built a new church on this site.
This "new"
building, called "Stone Street Methodist Church", served until the
1990's when there was a possibility that the church and land would be sold and
the congregation joined with the Methodist Church in Grosvenor Rd,
however this idea was overtaken
when the Aldershot Methodist Military Trust who owned the Grosvenor Rd Church,
decided that it could no longer justify the cost of the maintenance of a listed
building and so that site with all other buildings was sold. This meant that the
congregation of Grosvenor Rd was looking for a new home and so the two
congregations joined and used "Stone Street" as their place of worship.
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To help the members
leave behind old ties and become a new creation, the name Stone Street was
dropped and the all-embracing "Aldershot Methodist Church" was
adopted.
With the increase in the
number of worshippers the whole building needed refurbishment to accommodate the
worship needs and activities of the members. Fundraising by the church
members and a gift from the Aldershot Methodist Military Trust enabled the 1958
utilitarian church to be changed into the present attractive and practical
premises.
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If you have
any information about the history of Methodism in Aldershot or used to attend
the Sunday School or Youth club in any of the Churches we would be pleased to
hear from you. Contact us through our links
page.
Read about the
history of Primitive Methodism in Aldershot and the surrounding villages and
towns in the recently published book: "Prim: Aldershot" details on the
church linked activities page.
If you wish to
know more about the beginnings of Wesleyan Methodism in Aldershot try to obtain
the book
"Soldiers and
Preachers Too" by Owen Spencer Watkins reprinted by the Methodist
Forces Board.
Try e.bay or amazon.
Copies are rare but they do appear from time to time.
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