At this time in summer 2024 we want to stand with our friends from Woodside Methodist as they remember the closure of their beloved church, the last service being held there one year ago on 4th June 2023.
It was a very sad time in the months before that day, as they went through the process of discussions in the Circuit, and the realisation that this would be the end of a long history of a worshipping community in the Low Lane/Outwood Lane area of Horsforth.
Janet Wilson, an active member of the church at the time, wrote this reflection soon after the closure:
The Church on the Hill
‘The community here at Woodside have been worshipping since the early 1800s in what was later called the school room. The church building as we know it today was built and opened in February 1895, costing £2350 to build. There have been many changes to the inside of the building all trying to ensure comfort and ease, but always to the Glory of God. The list of families worshipping here, reads like a history of Horsforth. Woodside has been a centre of community all this time, from birth to death and every stage in between. We were blessed that in the last month before we closed we celebrated a Christening, a marriage and a funeral, what a fitting conclusion.
In April 2023 we held a “Celebration of Woodside” and it was a joyful sharing of memories with so many folks returning and sharing their memories of activities here.
Even though we ended with a small congregation, it has always been a spiritually and caring community. We will always be a Woodside family. It is sad that we can no longer support worship at Woodside, we must look forward to the future remembering that we are living stones and our purpose here at Woodside is fulfilled.’ (Janet Wilson 2023).
New Display at Horsforth Museum
A lovely display has just been revealed at Horsforth Museum, which is a fitting memorial to the church with a textile banner, hand embroidered items, 2 collection bags and a photo of the construction of the building in progress. These were donated by the church to the museum and information panels have been added to bring it to life.
Needlework and Banners
It seems the ladies at Woodside have a history of being exceptionally handy with their needles, as they also created many colourful banners that hung in the church. There were over 40 of these made on different themes, so they were changed according to the season or occasion.
These banners were all donated to The Grove Methodist church, and some can be seen displayed there now, as in the photos above.
Betty, who now attends The Grove, was responsible for a significant amount of this handiwork – here she is next to one of the banners she made:
A Brief History of the Church
‘The present church on Outwood Lane was erected in 1895, but the history of the church starts in the early 19th century, when informal meetings took place in a room of the Wright’s in Cornmill Fold, off Low Lane in Horsforth. The church was originally known as Woodside Wesleyan, changing to Woodside Methodist in 1932.
A plot of land was made available in 1822 by the landlords of the Headingley Estate for “the erection of a school for the educating of the labouring classes and a chapel or place of religious worship”. This plot was part of a row of houses which used to exist on Tanhouse Hill, near the present church. The foundation of the church dates from 1840. The Whitaker family moved into Cornmill Fold in the 1850’s. The first was Benjamin Whitaker, who came from Wigan in Lancashire, described as a “master Stone Merchant”. He had four sons Samuel, Benjamin, Thomas & Matthew, who were all involved in the family business of stone quarrying, stone merchants and contractors. (Horsforth has a long history of stone quarrying – Horsforth stone was used in the building of Kirkstall Abbey in the 12th century). The Whitaker brothers can be found on the 1881 census living in 4 houses on Outwood Lane, and their father in the village of Pool.
The Whitakers gave land in 1895, on Outwood Lane, for the building of the new church.
Some local people were engaged to construct the church – Tom Lawrence (stone mason), James Cumming (stone mason and trustee) and Ben Child (joiner). The foundation stone was laid on Sat 23rd June 1894.
This photograph shows at least 20 workmen lined up in front of the partly built church.
The first baptism in the new Church was that of Ernest, son of Joseph & Annie Eliza Taylor, and the first wedding that of George Smith & Florence Barker. The first wedding after the church was granted power of registration was on June 30th 1903, when Dr Carlton Oldfield married Miss Emma Gertrude Whitaker.’
From ‘A History of Woodside Methodist Church’ an article by Richard Thomson (2004) on Genuki https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Guiseley/WoodsideMethodist
We join with our friends to remember and give thanks for the many years of faithful service and worship at this place, the hearts and lives that were touched, and the special place that this community holds in the memories of many.
Do visit the display in Horsforth Museum when you can: The Museum opening times are as follows: From the last Saturday in March to the last day in November.
Saturdays: 10.00 – 16.00
Sundays: 14.00 – 17.00 (16.00 in November)
You can find out more about the history of Woodside from a book called:
“The Building of a Horsforth Community – 150 Years of Methodism in Woodside (1839-1989)” by Christopher Townley (apparently there should be a copy in Horsforth Library and possibly also in the Museum).
Article compiled by Rhoda Wu 17th July 2024