The first congregation of Methodists met from 1828 in Whitburn's auction rooms in the High Street. In 1844 a church was built in North St. on the corner of Woodbridge Road, with an adjoining manse. (Several Victorian institutional buildings were built in North Street because there was room for expansion there, unlike in the High Street.) At the 1851 Religious Census congregations of 200 in the morning and 250 in the evening were recorded. The church quickly became too small for the congregation and the design seems to have been faulty, with a lack of air in the classrooms beneath the church. It was demolished in 1892 and a much larger church was opened in 1894, with a tall spire which many people still remember. This was sold in 1962 and demolished in 1973. In 1966 a new church was built much further along Woodbridge Road. By the 21st century this was becoming too big for the congregation, and its several meeting room were becoming an administrative burden. In 2013 the congregation joined that of St. Mary's Anglican church in the town centre, with the encouragement of the rector, the Rev. Canon Robert Cotton.

Entry written by: MA
Category: Place
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