The roots of Horfield Methodist Church are not in Gloucester Road but in Ashley Down Road in a building which became the Salvation Army Citadel but is now in commercial use. A school was opened in 1875 and the original owner of the building offered it to the Wesleyan Methodists for use on Sundays. The Sunday School grew in numbers and the property became that of the Wesleyans. In the last quarter of the century the population grew hugely and the King Street Circuit, of which Ashley Down Road Chapel was a part, decided to build a new chapel in Horfield as part of the centenary celebrations.
The building was opened on 22nd January 1899 at a cost of £2906 19s. and 11d. It was constructed in French gothic/arts crafts style by La Trobe who designed various secular buildings in central Bristol. The west front has two large windows and a rose window and a notable feature is the small spire. Then it comprised the existing Church and back downstairs rooms all intended to cater for 450 children, presumably extremely tightly squeezed in!
The Church luckily suffered no war damage. In 1919, in memory of those who had died and the increasing need to expand, an upstairs hall was built. The money was raised in two years by private collection, bazaars, organ recitals and special events.
Horfield Methodist Church was Wesleyan and the interior setting reflected the period. The preacher would mount a platform located under the arch and the pulpit was in the centre. The music was lead by a harmonium set beneath the pulpit and the choir sat just outside the communion rail facing each other. In 1923 the chapel acquired a new organ for £380 and the pulpit was moved to the present site.
The 1950’s saw a shift in emphasis in attitudes and lifestyle which was mirrored in the way Horfield Methodist church functioned. The original church trustees were all professional, in 1925 the balance had shifted to half tradesmen and half professional, and by 1948 virtually all the trustees were tradesmen. Up until this time the church had employed several people including an organ blower, a full time caretaker, chimney sweep, gardener and window cleaner. Most of these jobs are now undertaken voluntarily by a Church member.
The 1950’s also saw a rapid increase in membership from 200 before the war to 297 in 1962. But other churches were beginning to be disturbed by a trend in declining church attendance and particular problems in attracting young people.
In 1960 Berkeley Road Methodist Church closed and donated their organ to Horfield. A balcony was built and the new organ was installed at the back of the church. It was dedicated to the Glory of God on 1st May 1960, and Horfield’s old organ was donated to Hartcliffe Methodist Church.
“If anybody would like to expand this series please do, I would just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first at churchmicro@gmail.com 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”