Lion Walk - United Reformed Church
IN 1648 Sir Charles Lucas, commander of forces loyal to Charles 1st in Colchester, surrendered his sword to Cromwell's army in an inn just off Head Street. At that time the tiny stream which was to become Lion Walk Church had already begun to flow, and some of its first members could well have been besieged with Sir Charles and watched as he was marched down High Street to be shot under the castle walls.
For in the minutes of a church in Great Yarmouth dated 1642 is recorded "In the meantime John Ward, being called to Colchester, did there with others gather into church fellowship and there continued".
John Ward died in 1644 but the faithful few to whom he ministered worshipped in private houses, with difficulty and often persecuted, until in 1688 William Rawlinson bought land in Moor Lane for a meeting house, the site of the present St. Botolph's Parish Hall in Priory Street. There the church flourished - early in the 18th century the congregation numbered some 600
The second chapter begins with the purchase for £75 of part of the garden of the Red Lion Inn and the erection thereon of the Round Meeting House. This was timber-built, a strict octagon, and for 100 years the life of the church revolved around it vigorously. It was enlarged during its lifetime and eventually seated over 700. The congregation were not placid; they dissented to the extent that in 1843 nearly 30 members left and formed Headgate Congregational Church.
The period was notable for the ministry of the Revd T.W. Davids who came to Lion Walk at the age of 24 and stayed 33 years. His wife Louisa pioneered Sunday School work in Colchester, to the point where at times 1,000 children attended each Sunday.
In 1863 the Round Meeting House was demolished and in its place was erected a Victorian Gothic-style edifice, built of Caen stone at a cost of £6,500. One prominent member left because of the design - a "steeple house" pointing to Rome. In fact large parts of the steeple fell before the end of the century once in a violent storm and once in, of all things, an earthquake.
The church rode these calamities and was led through the first half of the 20th Century by a succession of popular ministers. By 1940 however, the Caen stone had begun to deteriorate. By 1972 - the year in which Lion Walk became part of the newly-created United Reformed Church. The painful decision to demolish and rebuild had to be made; it was agreed that Lion Walk must remain a town-centre church. Planning permission for development of the site was made conditional upon the tower and steeple remaining. It has been underpinned and renovated so that more than ever before it lifts the eyes and heart skywards.
The church's new position above shops means that most of the £1.5 million cost of the new complex has been borne by the developers, but members and friends of the church have worked and given sacrificially to create a worthy place of worship. The fine Willis organ has been enlarged and re-installed.
That tiny stream which began in 1642 and has flowed continuously ever since, now in spate, at times sluggishly, moves forward to the 21st century a deep and wide river to nourish the life of our town
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There is also the Colchester Baptist Church close by, Here is some information on this too.
Colchester Baptist Church
The first Baptist church in England was established by Thomas Helwys in 1612 in London. He died in Newgate Prison but the faith spread.
There were Baptists in Colchester by 1630. In the Civil War period views of what the Christian faith should be contended within existing churches. With the Restoration in 1660 the Church of England was supreme and those who had other views had to worship underground. The Glorious Revolution of 1689 gave toleration to Dissenters. It was then that Colchester Baptist Church was formed. In 1690 the Church registered its meeting house in East Stockwell St., just of the High Street, and its minister, John Hammond. In 1711 the church moved to Eld Lane on part of its present site and called John Rootsey as its minister. Rootsey built up the church and made the first contacts which led to Baptist churches in Ipswich.
In 1832 the site of our premises was increased fourfold and the present church was built on it in 1834. This was largely due to the benefactions of Benjamin Nice, a farmer living in Ardleigh.
One of our members at that time, James Paxman asked that his name be removed from the roll due to 'improper conduct'. Thus his son, James Noah Paxman, was brought up in the Church of England. He went on to found the major engineering company that bore his name.
In January 1850 the young Charles Haddon Spurgeon came to a knowledge of Christ in a Sunday morning service in the Primitive Methodist Church in Artillery Street. That evening Spurgeon worshipped at Eld Lane and it is as a Baptist that Spurgeon became the foremost Christian influence in 19th century Britain.
In 1866 with the minister ill but unable to retire Eld Lane looked to Spurgeon, who had just founded the theological college that bears his name, for help. He offered Edward Spurrier as assistant minister and agreed to preach himself twice a year to cover the cost. Spurrier soon had the church in a healthy state. On one of his vists Spurgeon saw the need for a school hall. With a gift and a loan from him the Church was equal to the challenge. In recent years this hall has needed rebuilding but is esentially the hall Spurgeon built.
Spurrier stayed at Eld Lane over 40 years. In that time out-stations were built at at Parsons Heath(Wycliffe) and Blackheath (Orchard). Both are now independent churches.
One of our ministers insubsequent years, Warwick Bailey, served from 1944 to 1972. he was a Borough Councillor for nine years and was mayor of Colchester in 1949/50.
Two further additions have been made to the premises. That in front of the school hall was named after Spurrier and opened in 1923. A wing on the other side was added in 1991. It houses Open Door, founded in 1986 as a welcome to all who want to come on four weekdays.
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For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro@gmail.com.
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
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