Today’s Memory Monday looks back at the foundation of Westwood Church, based in part upon a booklet produced in 1944 to commemorate the centenary of the church’s consecration.
Westwood Heath was a hamlet in the early part of the 19th Century, although larger than the area it covers today. In fact, from the medieval period, several hamlets had comprised “Westwode”: Kirby Corner, Banner Lane, Broad Lane, Tile Hill Lane, Whoberley, Fletchamstead, Canley, Burnt Post, Crackley, Hurst, The Pools, Bockendon and The Hollies. The people living here “on the heath” strongly felt the lack of a church. Although Stoneleigh was the parish church, it was at some distance and a sufficiently large population was developing to justify the people of Westwood having a church of their own. After several years of the project being discussed and then
put to one side, Chandos, first Baron Leigh (1791-1850), intervened. Some money had been raised by subscription and Lord Leigh added an endowment of £1000 to this. In a letter dated March 30th, 1841, he wrote,
“I trust…there will be a resident minister at Westwood. I shall be willing to add to the stipend of the clergyman, and also provide a small house near the site of the new chapel till a better one can be provided to effect this object. I hope now the days lengthen, we shall begin without further delay to build the chapel. When I converted the cottage at Westwood Heath into a school for boys and girls, I did not contemplate that it would be used as a chapel for more than a short period – the building is only 30ft long by 12ft – and therefore, you may imagine that it cannot contain the congregation that resort to it, many being obliged to remain outside the building during divine service. The residents on Westwood Heath are constantly expressing a great desire for the chapel to be built, and are disappointed that the building has not already commenced”.
Still, more than a year was to elapse before the long-awaited day came when the foundation stone was laid. The plans for this important occasion had been drawn up by Lady Leigh, known to be “a capable woman of business”. A procession walked from the school to the site of the church. (Note – this was the school created from a cottage by Lord Leigh, near the site of the present Westwood Club, not the school which is now the Greek Church, built much later, in 1870).
The procession comprised several parts, led by a band, followed in order by: the school children; the future churchwardens (Mr T.Sammons of Fletchamstead and Mr E.T.Twycross of Canley); members of the building committee (Mr J.Harris, Mr W.Sammons, Mr Weston); the vicar and curate of Stoneleigh; Lord & Lady Leigh; the Stoneleigh tenants; the Abbey servants; and the poor inhabitants of the new chapelry. The centenary booklet notes that, “the word “poor” was not used in a derogatory sense; the labourers were poor – men’s wages, 12s a week; boys’ wages, 2s a week. These were the days of the “hungry forties”, a hard time for humble folk working on the land”.
Lady Leigh seems to have had a keen eye for detail. Not only had she composed a hymn for this special occasion, she also stipulated that wives must walk with their husbands, two by two, that the band should play discreetly so as to allow the children’s singing to be heard and that all those gathered should “in heart join in prayer for God’s blessing upon the work, and loudly and distinctly respond Amen”.
Lord Leigh laid the foundation stone, under which were deposited “some coins of the realm”. To conclude the ceremony, the children sang 4 verses from the 100th Psalm*, after which the company returned to the schoolroom, where tea was served.
*Extract from Psalm 100
“Enter in Through the gates Enter in Here with praise Come before Him, come bring your song We are His people, He is our God”.
Sources:
C.F. Neale. Church of St John the Baptist Westwood Coventry: Centenary booklet 1844 to 1944
The website of Historic England:
Images:
Chandos, 1st Baron Leigh (image copyright National Portrait Gallery, London. Ref: NPG D37277)
Westwood Church viewed from the churchyard to the year, 1944 and the present day.
Next week – the building and consecration of the church.
Do you recognise any names of those involved in this ceremony? Perhaps these people have descendants still living in the area. Do you have photos or recollections of gatherings at the church in years gone by? If so, please get in touch.
As always we are happy to hear your comments, questions and suggestions.
If you would like to share your memories of life here – just a short paragraph or as much as you wish to write – we will add them to the ongoing project of “Westwood Heath in Living Memory”
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