Central Methodist Church

From Historical Hastings

The Central Methodist Church (formerly Wesleyan Methodist Church) was a church on Cambridge Road, Hastings.

Designed by W.W. Pocock[1], this large Wesleyan Methodist church was built in 1875. It stood on the sloped corner site above the town centre, west of the junction with Cornwallis Gardens.

Construction

A stone and ashlar built Early English Gothic Revival ​building​ with a tower at the southwest corner, the ​building​ cost £8,000.

Demise

Holding its last service in May 1974, the church was deregistered as a place of worship in June 1974[2] and fell into dilapidation after its closure that year and was demolished in June 1980. A block of flats now occupies the site.

Another local historian, however, has the following to say:

"...this property was bought from the Trustees of the Methodist Churches by the local council for the purposes of ​road​ improvements in 1978, (but the ​road​ scheme never materialised) hence it was resold on again but not until 1985 to a developer, whereby the ​building​ had remained empty for the previous 7 years and prone to vandalism."[3]

The site is now occupied by Holmebury House.


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References & Notes