Hedge End, Southampton

While researching High Town, I came across a reference to Hedge End on a website maintained by the Local Studies Department of Southampton Central Library. There is a section on Methodism and sections on each of the chapels. It seems to owe quite a lot to a book published in 1964 by local historian Jim Brown to commemorate the silver jubilee of St Andrews Methodist Church. This paragraph is taken from it ‘In 1905, the Bible Christians at Hedge End established a Sunday School in a barn in Hightown, opposite Netley Lodge. The barn was replaced in 1919 by an army hut that had been surplus to requirements at Netley. The congregation eventually joined with the Methodist Church in South East Road to build the new St Andrew’s Methodist Church in Butts Road in 1968-69.’

The Hedge End church is still functioning as part of the Southampton Circuit. Their website contains news and photos.

Geoffrey Goodall’s list of closed chapels says – Records: 1st chapel (converted cottage 1857) closed 1865 (Botley Common); Present church b1924; fire – 1970’s. Records 1923 (NA)

In 1986 Keith Guyler took a photo . He says that building dates from 1965.

The 1940 Buildings list says at that time it seated 300 on pews.