Blue Idol doors open once more

Blue Idol Meeting House reopens

The Blue Idol Meeting House near Coolham, West Sussex, re-opened on 27 June following extensive renovation.

One hundred and twenty guests attended the celebration, including actress Sheila Hancock, and local members of parliament Nick Herbert (Arundel and South Downs) and Jeremy Quin (Horsham).

Sheila Hancock spoke of Quakers as ‘active pacifists’, and greetings from Terry Waite and Paul Parker were read. Don Mackinder, the Valley Builders foreman who was responsible for much of the skilled work on the massive oak beams, cut a ribbon. Thanks were given to those involved in the project and to funders.

The event marked the end of two long years, during which the Meeting house, a Grade II* listed building, was completely re-roofed with Horsham Stone tiles, and many of its ancient oak timbers replaced.

The seventeenth century Blue Idol was originally a farmhouse. William Penn and some local Friends bought it and turned it into a Quaker place of worship.

---

Comments

Please login to add a comment