Wesley Methodist Church, Leigh-on-Sea
History
Wesley was formed in 1897 when New Road Methodist Church, the fishermen’s church in Old Leigh, realised that the town of Leigh was growing and that they needed to expand “up the hill” to where the people were. So they founded Wesley and it continued to grow.
New Road church takes its foundation from the first visit of John Wesley to Leigh in 1748. The church is still there, just beside the railway line: it has a greatly reduced membership these days, but they still continue to meet for worship each week and are a vital part of the life of Old Leigh. Wesley will always be grateful to these people who had a vision and carried it out.
Ever since then, Wesley has played a vital role in the spiritual and community life of the area.
There are also two booklets available about the history of Wesley:
“The History of the Methodist Church in the Southend and Leigh Circuit – Leigh Wesley” by the late Rev George Thompson Brake (The Rochford Press, 1997, 35 pp)
and “Wesley Methodist Church Leigh-on-Sea 1897-1997 – A Momentous Century” (49 pp)
Both are available at £2.00 post free from the Church Office.
Other booklets by George Thompson Brake about other parts of the Southend and Leigh Methodist Circuit are also available – please enquire for details.
Foundation Stones
Wesley has a great many foundation stones laid when the church was founded in 1897 and when the church building was dedicated in 1903, and even foundation bricks, with the initials of the people who laid them. Click the Pictures button in the frame to your left and scroll down beyond half way for more details.