Oundle Methodist Church
The building used to be a telephone exchange, built in 1939. It was converted to a church in 1984. The new church was opened in November 1985.
The banners and pulpit fall were made by members.
One of the members designed and made the cross with wood from a pew from the old church in West Street.
The History of Oundle Methodist Church
Methodism came to Oundle sometime before 1810 and in these early years, Oundle formed part of the Stamford Circuit. By 1830, Oundle, although still part of the Stamford Circuit, seems to have been a centre of Methodism in the area. A map amongst the Methodist papers at the County Record Office suggests that, already in the 1830s, Oundle was ready to evangelise the surrounding villages. At that time, the Oundle Methodists worshipped in a chapel later described as "a substantial stoned and slated freehold building …… situate in Chapel End, Oundle, with an extensive granary or chamber over the same". Tradition has it that part of New House now stands on the site of this first chapel. The name Chapel End was used for West Street and Stoke Hill.
In 1840 the Stamford Circuit was divided and a new Oundle Circuit, consisting of Oundle and eleven neighbouring societies was created. The first baptismal registers dating from the same year can be seen at the Record Office. The first name on the register is that of Eliza, daughter of Valentine and Elizabeth Brudenell of Warmington.
In 1842 a new chapel in West Street was built and registered and the old chapel was sold by public auction. Alterations were made to the building in the 1860s and in 1886 "an imposing front of rough local stone with Bath stone dressings" was added, which suggests that the society was flourishing.
A number of records have survived to shed light on the conduct of the society during the 19th century. An early account book lists the names of some of the church members at the time when the chapel was built. A circuit plan of 1846 shows the names of the ministers and local preachers who travelled round the circuit, preaching at different churches each Sunday as they do today, except that in the 1840s they must often have travelled on foot. Oundle remained a separate circuit until 1965 when it became part of the Peterborough Circuit. The general notices at the foot of a surviving plan for 1906 give some idea of the church life of the time and show how heavily the society depended on all its members in its activities.
“If anybody would like to expand to this series please do, I would just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication.
There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page found via the Bookmark list”