188 Years of The Stanhill Methodist Church

In 1847 land was purchased on which to build a more substantial building for Worship. The land was bought for £15.13s. 4d with a lease for 5,000 years ! Then it was time to raise money to build the new church. In the meantime, in 1860, a weaving mill was built in the village. This increased both the population and the wealth of the villagers. In 1864 the Foundation Stone of the present day church was laid on 27th February. The church was built ! By 1866 Stanhill was a member of the Blackburn circuit. In 1871 the organ was purchased and installed. By 1872 The Accrington Circuit was named and comprised of Accrington, Foxhill Bank, Gt. Harwood, Stanhill, and John St. In 1873 it was decided to purchase the adjoining land to build a separate Sunday School. In 1881 the foundations of the present Sunday School were laid on October 1st. This was a red letter day, a procession was made through the village to Stanhill Hall, returning to church for tea and a concert. The building of the Sunday School enabled the church to be completed with fixed pews, with ‘hat pegs’ in most of the pews for the gentlemen to place their top hats ! and a heating apparatus was installed to heat both church and Sunday School. Total alterations costing nearly £800. The church was a square building with the main entrance at the side, opening at the foot of the gallery steps. Yes, a gallery was above the back of the church. A raised pulpit at the front with a Holy Communion rail below. Behind the pulpit was the choir stall and the organ, accessed by stairs through a door leading from the worship area. By 1881 Stanhill was a member of the United Methodist Free Church. In 1886 a meeting was held when it was decided to buy the two cottages standing between the church and the thoroughfare of Nab Lane. One of the cottages, number 6 and a passage wall were pulled down. Leaving number 7, which was then used as a workshop, without a ceiling !

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