THIS week’s Peeps into the Past looks at some of Woking’s churches and chapels with recollections by reader Eileen Bliss.
“St Andrew’s Church was built in the 1950s in White Rose Lane,” said Eileen.
“The church committee did a lot of investigation to find out if it was the first church in England to be built in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, and as far as we know it was. And in York Road stood an old and very pretty church, but that’s gone now.”
Today’s Woking United Reformed Church (URC) in White Rose Lane was formed in 2005, with the joining of St Andrew’s URC and York Road URC. In 2009-10, the church underwent some major redevelopment work.
“Christ Church in Woking town centre has been modernised in recent times,” said Eileen.
“The entrance is now larger, a bookshop leads off it and there is a big cafe. It’s a very busy place today.”
The first church where Roman Catholics in Woking could worship in was an iron-clad one in the now long-gone Percy Street. The church dated to 1899.
A new one was built in 1925 in Heathside Crescent.
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Eileen said: “This lovely building was near Woking’s postal sorting office. Now it’s gone and a new church has been built in Shaftesbury Avenue.
“There was also another old chapel in Chapel Street. Sadly, it too has been pulled down.”
This was on the corner of Chapel Street and Commercial Road and was built in 1872 as a Wesleyan (Methodist) chapel.
“In Old Woking is St Peter’s, one of the oldest churches in England,” said Eileen. “The font used to be just inside the entrance. Now it can be found in a pretty alcove further inside.
“The pews have been removed to give more room for communal worship and weddings. Nothing else can be modernised, it needs to keep its history and its bells are very pretty.
“In Mayford, not far from where there was once a blacksmith’s forge, was a path that led from the road to a Baptist chapel, a very old looking building. A section of the floor would be lifted to reveal an immersion font, like a big bath.
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“Today in Kingfield is the New Life Church, a modern Baptist church with a cafe that is open during the week. On the same site was an earlier brick-built Baptist church.”
The original Kingfield Baptist Church was started in 1929 as a Sunday school outreach from Percy Street Baptist Church.
In 1986, the church, in High Street, Kingfield, merged with another group called New Life Church, taking its name and sharing worship.
“St Mary of Bethany Church in York Road has a second entrance off Mount Herman Road,” said Eileen. “It was built many years ago on a piece of farmland.
“It’s been modernised and all the old pews have gone. The building is well used, like a busy village hall, with groups meeting there and lunches for the elderly.
“As far as I can see, the same type of modernisation can be found in all the churches, with Christian love and people giving help to those in need. Perhaps this modern way will keep the churches going, now that regular congregations are smaller.”
Today, there are also places of worship in Woking for Muslims, Buddhists, Quakers, Christian Scientists, Plymouth Brethren and Spiritualists.
If you have some memories or old pictures relating to the Woking area, call David Rose on 01483 838960, or drop a line to the News & Mail.
David Rose is a local historian and writer who specialises in what he calls “the history within living memory” of people, places and events in the west Surrey area covering towns such as Woking and Guildford. He collects old photos and memorabilia relating to the area and the subject, and regularly gives illustrated local history talks to groups and societies. For enquiries and bookings please phone or email him at: [email protected]