Architect’s proposed plans. Photo: Courtesy of Wallingford Meeting.
History lesson: Fiona Burtt & Peter Braithwaite on Wallingford Meeting House
‘Studying our history has given us hope.’
As the 300th anniversary of Wallingford Meeting House drew near, local Friends found ourselves facing tough choices. Like many small Meetings, ours was threatened by an aging membership and antiquated premises. We could not cater satisfactorily for children and young people, nor for elderly and disabled Friends.
Was this the time to retrench, to accept the circumstances and expend our dwindling energy on looking after each other? Or was it time to widen our thinking, and take risks?
We reflected on the history of our Meeting. The building of our Meeting house in 1724 was an extraordinary act of faith, at a time when Quakers were still being persecuted. Quakers were already established in neighbouring Warborough, but it took courage to construct a substantial new building near the centre of Wallingford.
Set well back from the street, opposite the ruins of the castle torn down by Oliver Cromwell in 1652, the back door of the Meeting house provided a means of escape in case of trouble. Later, around 1850, a cottage was built to house a caretaker/warden.
‘We need to be as bold as previous generations.’
By 1877, after many years of continuous use, the Meeting house had fallen into neglect, and was only saved from demolition by members of the Gillett family, renowned Quaker bankers. More work was carried out over the years. Basic garden rooms were built for children’s activities. The Meeting grew and opened its arms to the local community by hiring its rooms to local voluntary organisations.
Studying our history has given us hope, and the confidence to think about our future. We understand that, to assure the future of Quakers in Wallingford, we need to be as bold as previous generations of faithful Friends.
Wallingford Friends have realised that we can enhance what has been handed down to us, to secure our future. For more than a year, we have been developing ideas and investigating possibilities. And, at a time of major social upheaval and economic distress, we have been led by the inspiration of our history to commit to rejuvenating our 300-year-old home as a peaceful hub for our Quaker community and the wider community around us.
Our plan is to build a new community space in our back garden, upgrade our Meeting house to modern standards, and adapt the cottage for independent use. A local architect has drawn up an attractive and practical scheme. The process has had its stresses, of course, but it has been a joyful, as well as an outward-looking experience.
In faith and hope, we have rolled out an ambitious campaign to raise the £400,000 we need. This brings us to charity. We have been humbled by donors’ generosity, but hope for further support. If we can raise an additional £75,000, a local benefactor has promised to double it.
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