The Villager

ROGIET METHODIST CHURCH
CELEBRATES 80 YEARS
This year we celebrate 80 years of worship and
fellowship in the village. The church (or chapel)
was built in 1933 by Shepard Bros builders of
Portskewett. Before this time in 1930-31, the
services were held in the Great Western Railway
Staff Association Buildings located on the
approach road to the Severn Tunnel Junction
Station. They allowed the founder members and
their families to use this building for their
services on a Sunday afternoon giving them also
permission to use the piano, chairs and all the
facilities.
During this time a plot of land became available
at Ifton Road and so it was decided to purchase
this land to build a new Methodist Church. The
founder members worked very hard to get this
mission fulfilled for the people of Rogiet as the
only other form of religious worship was at St
Mary’s Rogiet. The Methodist Church was
established through the support of the Great
Western Railway employees at the Severn
Tunnel Depot where they bought the bricks at
6D (sixpence) each. Drivers, shunters, foremen
and porters all supported this venture including
their families and other people in the village,
friendships were formed at the services and
membership increased.
Mrs Hutchings, a local preacher was the leader
of the founders members group and her
husband, Mr J Hutchings a driver at the Severn
Tunnel Depot was the treasurer. When the
church was first built its title was ‘Ifton
Methodist Church’ in the ‘Parish of Ifton at
Rogiet’, but in later years it became ‘Rogiet
Methodist Church’. The pulpit was given by the
‘Local Preachers of the Wye Valley Mission.’
Many other donations were given to help make
the church, and its interior, what it is today.
On the 8th September 2013 we will celebrating
our 80th Anniversary with a ‘Songs of Praise’ at
4pm and our usual service at 10.30 am, you are
welcome to come and join us.
www.loveourcity.co.uk
The Villager - April/May 2013 43