Worship in the Belle Hill area began around 1809, with a congregation of local people and soldiers from the King's German Legion, refugee Hanoverians, loyal to George III. A Society was formed and placed in the Lewes Circuit. Land was bought in 1822 and the Belle Hill Wesleyan chapel opened in 1825. This became the base for further outreach and the premises were extended in 1869 and 1887. In 1886 the St Leonards Circuit, including Bexhill, was separated from the Hastings Circuit.

A new chapel was built on the corner of Sackville Road and Parkhurst Road in 1892-96, with seating for 710 people.

Primitive Methodists

In 1865 a group of mission preachers from Hastings preached on the Sidley village green on the outskirts of Bexhill. The Primitive Methodist preachers were well received and regular Sunday and mid-week services were held; in 1873 a small chapel was built at Haddocks Hill.

Competition for a site on the corner of Springfield Road and Holliers Hill between brewers and the local Temperance movement resulted in the purchase of the site by a London stockbroker, Alfred J. Marshall Jay (1852-1922), who gave the site to the Primitive Methodists, with a donation to support the building of a chapel. Christ Church opened on 20 March 1907.

After Methodist Union, in 1938 the Belle Hill Wesleyan and Christ Church Primitive Methodist societies joined, on the Christ Church site.

Entry written by: DHR
Category: Place
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