Celebrating 150 years in Watton

The Early Days

In 1855 the Congregational Church obtained the plot of land, on what is now Watton Pentecostal Church. The minister at the time was Rev. Alfred Griffin, and they were fast outgrowing their current building, what is now Loch House, in the Dereham Road. The church had formed 38 years previously "to relieve the spiritual destitution to the inhabitants of Watton." (A Congregational Church record) in 1818.

Plans soon got underway and on April 3rd. 1856, the Rev. John Alexander of Norwich laid the foundation stone. It would seem that building was even quicker, because on 10th August 1856 the new building was opened with a special service! The original trustees of the building were William Rook, Cook Wright Alexander, Thomas Lane Alexander, John Edmund Alexander, William Robert Clarke, Robert Clarke, James Greaves, Robert Ellett, William Pearson, William Meek Burton Watson, James Mattless Harvey and Benjamin Chaston.


This photograph was taken 3rd April 2006 - 150 years to the day

The church was built in Gothic style, in common with many Protestant Churches of the nineteenth century. It was a style associated with religious revival. The exterior walls are black flint, with Suffolk white brick dressings and the roof is slate. The pointed arch doorway and windows are typical of this style. The windows are glazed with opaque leaded glass, with a surround of bright coloured stained glass on the outside. Inside is a high wooden pointed arched ceiling, finishing on either side with a series of carved stone archivolts. These are all different and show carvings of leaves, flowers, fruit and birds. Outside the arches are supported with brick and flint buttresses.

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