I was joined today once again by the chairman of RAYLEIGH TOWN MUSEUM, MIKE DAVIES.
After the recent trips that he took us on to the seaside, Mike decided today to look at some of the churches with which Rayleigh is blessed, with the emphasis being on the buildings themselves rather than the religious orders involved.
As there are quite a few, it seemed that the most obvious place to start would be the HOLY TRINITY church located at the top of the High Street.
A church has existed on this site since Saxon times, although the present building has a Norman chancel and is the only Grade 2 Historic building listed in the town. Indeed some of the stonework is of Norman origin with some reused Roman brickwork . Artefacts include an 800-year-old one piece oak chest and a fully restored Queen Anne ( 1704) Royal Coat of Arms.
The bell tower was built in the 15th century and with a height of 70 foot provides commanding views for miles around. Interestingly it includes stone taken from the castle when that fell into disuse.
The church also boasts an impressive Tudor brick porch and the chancel was restored in 1873 by the Gothic Revival architect Clapton Crabb Rolfe.
A detailed history of many aspects of the church can be found in 24 church related booklets by local author Noel Beer, which can be found in the Rayleigh Town Museum !!!
Although of much more recent construction, another prominent church of note is the METHODIST CHURCH on Eastwood Road.
The first mention of the Wesleyan/Methodist movement in Rayleigh was on 27th October 1755, when the founder of the Wesleyan movement, John Wesley was travelling through Rayleigh from London on his way to preach at Leigh-on-Sea.
In his diary he wrote “just outside Rayleigh the road was in a disgraceful state, the ruts were so deep and uneven that my horse could scarcely stand. And I had to walk through town until I could remount.”
Initial religious meetings were actually held in a private house until the first church was built in 1884 on the corner of the High Street and Love Lane, for which the foundation stones are still visible.
Following the opening of the Railway in 1889, larger premises were required and the new Methodist Church was opened in 1934.
A minister of note was the Rev Nehamiah Curnock, who in 1908 was the first person in the world to decipher the coded diaries of John Wesley!
The original building was subsequently taken over by the Salvation Army who had moved from what was originally the Peculiar Peoples Chapel in Bellingham lane.
The group known as The PECULIAR PEOPLE were founded in Rochford in 1837 by James Banyard.
Their Church in Rayleigh was built in the early 1900’s by candlelight!
The man responsible for the construction was Harry Adey, who indeed built the chapel, by candlelight following a full day at work and after the evening meal he’d enjoyed with his wife and 14 children.
THE PECULIAR PEOPLE did not believe in medical help for children and believed that “god will provide”.
Many were Conscientious objectors in World War One and some spent time in Broadmoor prison.
Given that the name “Peculiar” could easily be misunderstood it was eventually decided in 1956 to rebrand as the Evangelical Church.
With the decline in attendance levels the church building was recently sold to another religious group who had re-located from Romford.
They are known as THE CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST which was founded in Benin in 1947 and although only opened in Rayleigh in February last year, can now probably boast the largest congregation of them all.
Another church that definitely merits a mention, is THE RAYLEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH.
It was back to 1797 that the Rev James Pilkington arrived in Rayleigh to spread the word of the Baptist movement.
Just like John Wesley, his first impression, of the town was not favourable as walking along the High Street on a Sunday morning he concluded that Rayleigh was “a den of iniquity” with drunken women in the High Street – and that was long before the Pink Toothbrush night club opened.
Like a number of clerics, the Rev Pilkington supplemented his income by opening a School, in the High Street.
Ironically this building is now a Wetherspoons Public House and was originally to be called “Pilkington’s” (after the rector).
Following local opposition suggesting that it was inappropriate to name a public house after a tee-totalling Baptist minister, the name was changed to “The Roebuck” (a derivative of Rayleigh’s name).
You can listen again here to what Mike had to tell me on this subject: –
In the second hour of today’s programme we looked at a rather uplifting story of a man who after making a few probably injudicious choices in life, and having probably reached rock bottom, managed to overcome all obstacles to turn things round.
A few pointers here perhaps of how it’s never too late to use your brain cells to good effect.
Yes this concerns a man named George Robey who suddenly realised that he’d better pull himself together and try to get real – but how?
For some time he’d been living in a truck without any job or even the prospect of a job, on top of which his girlfriend had fallen pregnant.
Walking down a street he spotted a sign for AT&T and in spite of his dishevelled appearance, marched into the store and asked the manager if they were hiring.
Apparently they were and he was advised to submit an application on line.
Not owning a computer, he headed to the local library, printed out the application form and took it straight back to the store manager who pointed out that he’d not included a contact number. Hardly surprising given that he didn’t have a phone, so after scraping enough together he purchased a mobile and plan before returning with the details to the manager at AT&T.
A few days later he received a call with a job offer.
The next obstacle was a lack of suitable clothing so he headed off to a jumble sale at the local church.
After successfully getting through the interview process he was asked why it was that he wore the same clothes every day.
Deciding to come clean he told them that they’d just hired a homeless person which had given him the opportunity to turn his life around.
After 5 years he was promoted to Assistant Store Manager, later becoming Store Manager.
Some time later he was offered the chance to run a store that had been closed for 2 years, and then it was suggested that if he was willing to re-locate, an Associate Directorship was his for the taking.
So there you go.
Whatever life throws at you, there’s every chance that if you use your wits and your brain cells to good effect, you may well find ways to improve your lot.
I hope to have the pleasure of your company again tomorrow,
Scott
