| Title | Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church 1878 – 1966 |
| Date | 1878 |
| Location | Rawdon |
| Photo ID | B438 |
| Comment | This Chapel overlooked Leeds Road and was built in 1878, in 1891 an organ from Peterborough Cathedral was installed at a cost of £418. |
There were seats for 400 people to worship, it closed in 1964 when problems with dry rot were found.
It was demolished in 1966, housing is now on the site. (August 2012)
A small burial ground on Over Lane which was in the hands of Aireborough Council in 1973, still survives in a neglected state. (August 2012)
Attempts have been made to build on this cemetery which have been unsuccessful. (August 2012)
B402 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, Undated.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church – Undated
A view of the church from New Road Side.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church – 1910
9th July 1910 – Wesleyan Guild Garden Party, a fine collection of hats! It is thought the location maybe outside the schoolroom at Greenhill Chapel?
F034 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, 1910.
K090 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, 1947.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church – 1947
Photographer Marmaduke Milner, donated by the Swain family of Rawdon.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church – 1950
Cast of a production given by the church members, Moira Croft nee Hargreaves then aged 11/12 was the principal girl. She is in the centre of the back row dressed as a bride.
Donated by Moira Croft.
T538 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, 1950.
D457 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, 1952/53.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, Rose Queen – 1952/53
This photo was donated by Val Ryan (nee Hoare), she comments, ” When the ‘National’ school burnt down January 23rd 1951 (rebuilt as St Peter’s, Rawdon Town Street) the pupils were rehoused in the hall at Greenhill Methodist Church. It was a huge church with a large hall plus stage, kitchens and rooms above. The grounds were enormous and a delight for playing hide and seek as there were many large holly bushes, they were also on the very steep drive which led to Over Lane.
My uncle Eric Myers was a Sunday School teacher there, he was a staunch Methodist. He lived on Harrogate Road by the traffic lights and was also a very well known opera singer.
At this time my mother became ill, I think I was sent to Sunday School partly as a diversion and because my dad was busy looking after mum and hospital visiting, we weren’t actually Methodists.
There was an off-license shop on Over Lane just by the entrance and I would be allowed to buy sweets there after Sunday School.
Although ill, mum (Rene Hoare) still managed to make our clothes including the dresses for the Rose Queen attendants”.
On the photo: Attendant on the left is Val Hoare, attendant on the right is Margaret Telford.
“The lady wearing glasses is Mrs Rawnsley?, far right is Mrs Blackburn, she lived at Daisy Hill in Cragg Wood and did much charity work locally with churches, Darby and Joan Clubs, Townswomen’s Guilds etc. Her husband was a successful local Businessman”.
K090 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, 1950s.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church – 1950s
A Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was built on Over Lane in 1824, the cost of the land was £467 and the buildings a further £1,198. In addition to the chapel were a caretakers house shown here on the right of the terrace block of three houses numbered 9 to 13. The caretakers house was No: 9 in this image on the right of the terrace. At end of the terrace the small building on the left was a school which served as both a Sunday school and a day school.
X846 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, 1960s.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church – 1960s
The school property falling into disrepair when this photo in the late 1960s was taken as can be seen and the graveyard further down the slope was very overgrown.
F031 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, Undated.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church – Undated
A view of the altar decorated with flowers.
F032 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, Undated.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church – Undated
A view of the church from New Road Side.
M085 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, Undated.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church – Undated
A view of the pulpit.
P199 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, Undated.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church – Undated
Stone gate pillars which were once the entrance to the church on the Leeds Road.
P201 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, Undated.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church – Undated
A view of the church.
M086 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, Undated.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church – Undated
Organ and choir stalls, the organ is set in a shallow recess which has the following carved on it: “Everything That Hath Breath Praise The Lord”
The organ was bought for £418 and was installed in 1891. It had previously been in a chapel in Peterborough Cathedral.
M087 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, Undated.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church – Undated
The interior of the church looking towards the altar in the centre. The abundance of greenery suggests the church has been decorated for a seasonal service.
U993 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, 2021.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church Graveyard – 2021
The following six photographs of what remains of the Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church Graveyard, were taken by Maureen Naylor in March 2021, and shows the dilapidated state the graves are now in, surrounded by new build housing. So sad to see what used to be a well kept and maintained graveyard.
The inscription on this gravestone reads:
In Memory of Mary, wife of Samuel Burnley of Little London, Rawdon, who died July 4th 1870, aged 70 years. Also of the above Samuel Burnley, who died September 14th 1884, aged 84 years.
U994 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, 2021.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church Graveyard – 2021
A view of the graveyard showing the new build housing below and near to the Leeds Road.
U995 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, 2021.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church Graveyard – 2021
As above.
U996 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, 2021.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church Graveyard – 2021
A view of grave stones amid the March daffodils.
U997 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, 2021.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church Graveyard – 2021
Another view of the gravestones seemingly unkempt.
U998 – Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church, 2021.
Greenhill Wesleyan Methodist Church Graveyard – 2021
Gravestones succumbing to the ravishes of time and neglect.
Previous Comments:
pamela
My parents were the caretakers of Greenhill Church it had a lovely community. All the children went to Sunday school here, we were sad to leave. We lived at No: 9 Over Lane, next to the old graveyard. All the residents of the church side of Over Lane and Prospect street had to move at the same time the church was shut. Most of them were pensioners on Over Lane, we were the only family. Everyone was rehomed in Yeadon in Council Accommodation.
08 January 2014
Christine Roberts
The burial register for this church is now at Leeds Archives (Morley) passed to them in 1998. AHS has the details.
30 January 2021
Consolidated by Jack Brayshaw. 26 January 2021.
Last updated: 18 January 2024 – Photo ID: T538. 23 December 2023 – Photo ID: F034 replaces C141, F033, X846. 18 October 2022 – All images updated. 08 April 2021 – Photo ID’s: U993 to U998 inclusive.
