About Us

Originally there were two types of Methodists worshipping in Horley. The Primitive Methodists had a chapel in the High Street. In 1909 a grant was given to a Wesleyan Methodist group who met in a room above what is now Lloyds Bank, also in the High Street. The first service was held on 3 October 1909 and was conducted by a lay preacher, Mr C.E. Gentle. At a meeting of the trustees held in the room on 20 July 1910 it was decided to build a new church.

By 11 March two years later their hopes were realised and the “Wesley Hall” was opened on that date. The Sunday School first started on 30 October 1912. On 29 March 1939 a new Primary Hall was opened and the chairs in the church were replaced by oak pews. A pipe organ and pulpit were also put in. By this time the Primitive Methodists had left their chapel and joined with the Wesleyans to become the Methodist Church.

Electric lights and hearing aids were also installed in the church about 1939-40. By 1956/57 the congregation had grown so much that it was decided to build a new church. The old church became the church hall. Rev. Bertram Woods and his congregation raised £16,000 out of £22,000 needed to build the new church. (The late and dearly remembered Wyn Maynard was fond of saying that it was built partly on the foundations of her home made marmalade!). The pulpit, organ and pews (with more added) were installed in the new church from the old.

The present building was opened on 11 June 1960 by Mrs F. Bartlett Lang, and the preacher on that day was Rev. Edward Rogers who was to become President of the Methodist Conference. The church is spacious and is somewhat unusual (though not unique) for a Methodist church because it is in the shape of a cross and has stained glass windows.

The suite of rooms at the side which includes the Fellowship Room was added in the 1970s, during the ministry of the late Rev. Leslie Holdsworth.