From the Archives.
In the September 1951 edition of the Cirencester Parish Magazine, it was suggested that the new church at Chesterton be named after St Lawrence. In the October, another suggestion was that as Cirencester was an old wool town we might adopt the Patron Saint of the wool-combers, St Blasius. A further idea was that it should be named after its rightful owner and known as Christ Church.
The following month, St Lawrence Church and hall were dedicated and this appeared in the magazine.
‘Many readers may not have seen it, many do not even know where it is and not a few have difficulty in finding it, but there it is, not much to look at from the outside and costing about the same sum of money for which a hundred years ago Watermoor Church, holding three times as many people, was built. But you should have seen it from within at 3 o’clock on Sunday, October 21st. The hundred and fifty people who filled it to capacity saw a well-proportioned church with an Altar beautifully arranged in a small but dignified chancel and flanked on each side with some of the choicest blooms tastefully arranged.
The Bishop, Clergy and members of the Parish Church and Watermoor choirs robed in the Nursery School and came in procession singing ‘Onward Christian Soldiers.’ In the meantime an overflow congregation, gathered in a marquee next to the church, listened to a recording of church bells. Arrived at the church, the Bishop knocked thrice on the principal door and after being admitted was asked to dedicate the Church and Hall. He then proceeded to the Sanctuary where he pronounced the words of dedication: “In the faith of Jesus Christ and to the glory of God we bless and hallow this building and dedicate it in the name of Saint Lawrence, for the worship of Almighty God and the well-being of the people of this place: in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen,” and said Prayers for the hallowing of the ornaments and fittings and for God’s blessing on the use of the building as a Church and Hall. Evensong followed, the whole service being relayed to the congregation in the marquee.
The story of St Lawrence Church and Hall is a long one but an outline of it may be interesting. Provision for the spiritual needs of the people at Chesterton exercised the minds of church people and the Diocesan Authorities in Canon Westmacott’s time. Originally a large Church Modern Senior School was to be built on the land adjoining it and it was intended that the large hall of the school should be used for occasional services, Sunday schools and as a social centre. When the war came and the cost of building the school became prohibitive, other plans had to be made. Immediate provision for the Sunday School and social activities was necessary and to our great relief the Directors of the Steam Laundry very kindly put their canteen at our disposal and we shall be everlastingly in their debt for what they did. On August 30th 1942, Miss Ethel Davies opened a Kindergarten Sunday School with forty children and this rapidly grew into a first rate Sunday School. As this expanded and the children grew another Kindergarten was opened in 1944 in the Chesterton Nursery School and the one at the Laundry catered for older children.
In the meantime, the Mothers’ Union was considering what help they could give and a committee meeting held at the Vicarage the late Mrs Raymond Matthews offered to take a lead in helping the Mothers’ Union to start a Chesterton Mothers’ Meeting. She was indeed one of the founders and keen workers for what has become the Chesterton Women’s Guild, and so St Lawrence Church and Hall, and it is very fitting that the beautiful Altar Cross and Candlesticks, the gift of her family, should be a memorial of her.
By 1944 they possessed 12 chairs and the crockery necessary for the inevitable cup of tea. Since then they have provided about £1,300 towards the cost of the church and possessed themselves of about 100 chairs, hymn books and much else besides.
The PCC decided in September 1945 to purchase the site and after many unfortunate delays and changes of site, we were able to start building in the October of last year.
To all who have helped with their gifts, loans and willing work we are most grateful. There is still a debt of £1,875 on the new building. We very much hope therefore that individual church people may be able to lend sums free of interest which will be repayable at the end of five years or less as the case may be.”