A Christian Church is a group of people, not a building.
Like the current Anglican church of Roundhay St John, the original Anglican church building on Wetherby Road is called Roundhay St John. It was consecrated in January 1826. Construction was fought for and funded by a local ‘Quaker’ family called Nicholson who then owned much of what we now call Roundhay. The first regular service at Roundhay St John was held on 12 March 1826. They also built a school and alms houses nearby which opened in 1837. Anglicans, Methodists and ‘Quakers’ [members of the historically Protestant Christian Religious Society of Friends] were all buried in the surrounding public burial ground and crypt under Roundhay St John.
We don’t know exactly when Methodism first took root in the Township of Roundhay but well before 1815 Methodists were meeting in the upstairs room of a cottage on Chapel Lane – now called Chapel Cottage on North Lane.
The Methodist and Anglican churches had co-operated for many years. In1998 they entered into a formal covenant to work together. During 2006 the Anglican congregation began to share the modern Roundhay Methodist Church building at Springwood Road, which had opened in 1986.
In November 2007 the last public service was held at the old 1826 Roundhay St John building and responsibility for its maintenance was passed to the Anglican Church Commissioners. They sold it to be used for Christian worship by another Church who allowed it to fall into disrepair. “The Friends of Roundhay St John’s Church” continue to take an active interest in the old building and burial ground. The Friends are unconnected with the Anglican Church of Roundhay St John who continue to worship as part of Oakwood Church.
On 14 November 2013 the Churches of Roundhay Methodist and Roundhay St John formed an Ecumenical Partnership, taking the name Oakwood Church On 1 December 2013 enjoyed their first unified service.
To discover how the 200 year history of Oakwood Church is inseperable from the history of Oakwood, Roundhay and Leeds please please browse the extensive Local History pages hosted on this Oakwood Church website.
If you have questions about local history or would like to contribute articles, memories or materials to our Local History pages, please get in touch with me.
| Contact | Sharon Donaldson |
| Call | 0113 232 3565 |
| history@oakwoodchurch.info |