Imagine a small tin hut. This was the original Hampton Hill Spiritualist Church. Today we stand before a building full of history and spiritual significance.
Hampton Hill Spiritualist Church began in October 1919. It started as the Hampton Hill Spiritualist Society. The society first met at No. 3 High Street. Now it is No. 7 High Street.
Early meetings faced disruption. City Missionaries tried to stop them. One medium could not work because of the opposition. Despite this rocky start the church persevered.
The first church building was basic. It was a tin hut behind 3 High Street. Later a brick building replaced it. For about nine years, the church remained there. That was from about 1920 to 1929. The old building became an engineering workshop. It served that purpose for 40 years.
Estelle Roberts visited this first church. She was a famous medium. Her visit was around 1921. Hampton Hill was the first Spiritualist church she ever attended. The messages she received there inspired her life’s work. Roberts became one of the best mediums of her time.
Roberts described the church as entirely of tin. She attended three meetings. At each meeting, the mediums seemed to focus on her. Elizabeth Cannock singled her out. Cannock said, “You are a medium and have much work to do.”
By 1929 the church needed a new home. It moved to 12 Windmill Road. Many remember this fondly as the Old Church. The church stayed there for over 70 years. It remained until 2000.
The Windmill Road building has its own story. It was built in 1838. Originally it was Mill Road Chapel a congregational chapel. The congregationalists moved in 1870. They went to new premises on the High Street. This is now the United Reformed Church.
After 1870 the building had many uses. It was a church Sunday School. It was also a Methodist Hall. For many years, it functioned as a glove factory.
Hampton Hill Spiritualist Church became part of the Spiritualists National Union in 1929. The Windmill Road church officially registered in May 1937. The application noted it had been a spiritualist church for years. The church bought the building and land in March 1957. It was put into trust with the SNU.
In 1995, a neighboring antique shop was demolished. This demolition revealed structural problems with the church. The building’s age caused these issues. The church closed for investigation. It reopened in January 1996. However, it needed major repairs. The asbestos roof needed replacement too.
A property developer proposed a land swap. They would build a new church. It would be at the rear of residential properties. Repairing the old church was too costly. So, they agreed to the land swap in 1999.
Construction of the new church began in April 2000. It finished in July 2000. The first service was in August 2000. The old church stayed open until the new one was ready.
Seventy people attended the last service. They carried candles to the new church. This marked the opening ceremony. The old church was then demolished. It made way for new homes.
The new church cost around £25000. This was a good deal due to the land swap. Repairing the old church would have cost much more.
The SNU President Duncan Gascoyne officially opened the church. The dedication service was on 1st October 2000.
In 2015, the church added a new patio and drainage. In July 2019, they installed a new kitchen.
The Hampton Hill Spiritualist Church celebrated its centenary in October 2019. It held special services and events. This building offers a wonderful home for the church. It helps the church grow for the next 100 years.
Many dedicated presidents have served here. Lottie Hart, Alice Kearns, and Sheila Smoothy deserve special mention. They each served for over 20 years.
The Hampton Hill Spiritualist Church has been served by many well-known mediums. Estelle Roberts, Colin Fry, and Tony Stockwell are among them.
This church has evolved through many changes. It has grown from a tin hut to a cherished spiritual center.