At a Special Congregational Meeting held on Wednesday, January 27th 1954 the question of forming a new Parish was discussed. It was considered that this would be desirable at some point of time in the near future but the following conditions would have to apply:

    It would be necessary for the Incumbent to stay for at least 5 years and as this would be very difficult on an Assistant Curate’s stipend the following rate would be established: -

    It was finally agreed to go ahead with the formation of a new District if the St Andrew’s PCC agreed. All through 1954 negotiations went on and at the Sydesmen’s Meeting on 11^th January 1955 it was announced that steps were in hand to set up a Conventional District and that a Parish Council would be elected on 26^th January 1955. The Assistant Curate-in Charge, The Reverend Donald Brain became Priest-in Charge, with Mr J Robins and Mr A J Hunt as Church Wardens.

    The members of the PCC were

                                  Mr W Weston: Miss D Gulliver: Mr F A Skillen: Mr F C Waklett: Mr R J H Garner: Dr T Briscoe: Miss D Pope: Miss J H Mortimore: Mrs E A Hunt: Miss J Cummings: Miss M Webb:

                                  Miss J Carey (now Mrs J Robbins) was appointed Secretary.

    The Church continued as before, the difference being in the change of names and not functions, but as the Church was dedicated and not consecrated and because legally St Andrew‘s was still responsible, Canon law did not in many aspects apply. In 1958 Youth work, which had lapsed, was restarted.

    In 1958 moves were again started to build a new Church, because of the site of the Church and because there was no room for expansion to accommodate social life and Sunday School work. The former took place in the old Lowden School as well as the Sunday School, so it was very difficult to relate these works with the Church especially for children whose parents did not attend Church. It was hoped therefore to build a new Church, which would cover all the functions of a thriving Church.

    A double-decker Church was designed to be built on the site of the present Church Hall in Sheldon Road. This was land previously acquired from Mr W. Stent and was part of a Market Garden where the Church Hall and Messrs Ladd's [now Travis Perkins] premises now stand. . The Upper Storey was to be the Church and the lower a semi-basement Church Hall, the Church being served by a ramp. After considerable discussion the idea was dropped for several reasons. Firstly, the land available would necessitate a short ramp, secondly, there was no room for a car park, and thirdly, the local Council assured us that all future buildings would be to the North and West of the district; therefore the site would be very little improvement on the existing site [in Lowden].

    The Conventional District now covered Lowden, Sheldon Road and parts of the Parishes of St. Andrew's, St. Nicholas, Hardenhuish and St. Paul's. The Boundary started at the old Church, went through Audley Road, centre of Loyalty Street into Brook Street, up through Redlands to the roundabout on the Bristol Road, along the West side of that road to near the Castle Combe turning, across to Sheldon Corner on to the crossing of the Biddestone to Chequer's Hill (on the Bath Road), back along that road to the Railway Bridge and along the Railway line to the old Church.

    For the duration of Mr Brain's Incumbency the matter was held in abeyance but in preparation for a new Church, a new Pipe Organ (re-built) was purchased in 1959 for £1.200 and also new hassocks. The old reed organ, which was constantly giving trouble and considered by experts incapable of repair, was sold to the R.A.O.B. in Woodlands Road for £5. They repaired it and it was in use for some years. This Hall was part of a Daughter Church of St. Nicholas and served the community of Downing Street and Woodlands built many years ago to house workers of the predecessors of the Westinghouse Brake Company. That Church was eventually closed and the 'Buffs' took over all the premises

    Another site suggested for the new Church was Glebe Land belonging to the Vicar of St. Andrew's and was at the junction of Lord's Mead and the Biddestone Road (the present site) but nothing was done until the next Incumbency. It was difficult to understand that the Biddestone Road site could ever become the part of a very large built-up area and such was the feeling of frustration felt by the Church that there were frequent pressures on the Diocese to proceed with the building in Sheldon Road.

    It was not appreciated that setting up a new Parish and Church would involve Ecclesiastical Authorities, Lawyers, Local Authorities, Parish Councils of St. Andrew's, St. Paul's and St. Nicholas and also the County Council as it was concerned with the building of a new School to be incorporated in the new Church complex.

    The congregation of the old Church was getting older and older and many were the objections to moving from Lowden. As one person put it "We can't fill this Church, what chance have we to fill a new one right out in the fields?" It was thanks to the Reverends Brain and Simper that the project got off the ground.

    As a Daughter Church we, of course, benefited from legacies left to St. Andrew's, but the District inherited no portion of these and had only a few small Bequests left to St. Peter's. The question of financing the new Church was therefore a great worry. Fortunately, a very substantial legacy was left by Mrs Stent to be divided equally between St. Peter's and St. Andrew's. This consisted of over £10,000 in cash plus half share in property and Astoria Cinema shares and an interest in two houses. This made a provision of a Church Hall possible and also furnishing a new Church with items not included in the building proposals. Mrs Stent was the widow of a Fish and Fruit Wholesaler and Retailer who had a shop in Station Hill. When the Astoria changed over to 'Bingo' the shares were realised and re-invested.

    The Hall is a Timber building and was erected in 1964 and at that time was intended as a temporary measure, which could be transferred to the site of the new Church when that was built. Unfortunately, time has proved that it will now have to remain there for the unforeseeable future as a recent estimate for the building of a Hall adjacent to the Church quoted figures impossible to find in the present climate of Church finances [the hall was sold in 1966 and the site is part of Travis Perkins’ yard. With the proceeds it became possible, during 1967, to build the present hall as part of the Church buildings]. However, it provides a very useful purpose by providing Parochial accommodation for Church, Playgroups, Socials and Receptions. Until the new Church was built the Infant Sunday School used the Day School, and the Upper Sunday School, Children’s and Youth Guilds used the new Hall.

This page was last updated on 22 February 2007