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Historic United Reformed Church Building Sold in Wales
Historic URC building in Newport sold to local Muslim group
Posted on Jun 16, 2008
Date: 16 June 2008
Release: Immediate
An historic United Reformed Church building in Newport has been sold to a local Muslim group. Offers were invited and the successful bid came from the Islamic Society for Gwent. The purchase price exceeded Ł300,000.
The building occupies a prominent position on the corner of Victoria Road and Hill Street, Newport and had been used as a church for almost 150 years. Church members moved out in August 2007 and have since met at the premises of the Presbyterian Church of Wales at Brynhyfryd Road, Newport. Members of three congregations using this Church are planning to form a new worshipping community.
Speaking for the United Reformed Church in Wales, the Revd Peter Noble said ‘The church in this area of Newport has served local people for 149 years, and the worshipping community lives on. The sale of the building will release funds to help us develop our work elsewhere. We are pleased that the building will still be used to serve the new community that has grown up in the area’.
Mr. Mubarak Ali, secretary of the Islamic Society for Gwent said the Society was delighted to have purchased the building and would try to ensure that it continued to be respected as a place of worship. He added ‘It is a beautiful construction and once we have completed its refurbishment it will stand out as one of Newport’s architectural delights’. The Society thanked all those who had supported its successful bid and wanted to maintain strong ties with other faith groups and local organisations.
The building opened for public worship on 7 December 1859. The facades are of Bath stone with carved foliage features to the heads of the windows. The present Irish oak interior was designed by Alfred Swash and carved by Mageson of Bristol and was intended as a First World War memorial. The building is listed as being of architectural or historic interest (Grade 2), and there are limitations on alternative uses.
Sue Cole, property officer for the United Reformed Church in Wales said the congregation at Victoria Road were sad to have to leave what was their spiritual home for so many years. ‘It held many happy memories. But they realise they must look to the future and they are excited about a new partnership with Presbyterian friends’. Services are held at Brynhyfryd Road in English on Sunday mornings at 10.45am and in Welsh at 3.pm.
The Islamic Society for Gwent’s bid received the backing of church leaders, councillors and a number of local organisations. The sale was handled by agents Cooke and Arkwright, acting for
the Synod of Wales of the United Reformed Church and the URC (Wales) Trust. Charity law requires that the best possible price be obtained for such a sale.
More details from Sue Cole, Property Officer, URC (Wales) Trust tel. 029 2019 5728 or email sue@urcwales.org.uk or from Mubarak Ali, Secretary of the Islamic Society for Gwent tel. 07886 526687 mubarak7@btopenworld.com
The United Reformed Church
Through a series of unions over the past 35 years, the United Reformed Church has brought together English Presbyterians, English, Welsh and Scottish Congregationalists and members of the Churches of Christ. One hundred thousand people make up 1600 congregations, with more than 700 ministers, paid and unpaid.
Although one of the smaller mainstream denominations in Britain, the United Reformed Church plays a dynamic and challenging part in the country’s Christian life. It seeks to work with Christians of all traditions, believing that all God’s people should be one. It is committed to theological and
cultural diversity.
Worldwide, more than 70 million Christians are members of the Reformed family of churches, the largest Protestant tradition. We call ourselves Reformed because our churches began to emerge with reform movements in the sixteenth century.
The Islamic Society for Gwent
The Society was formed in 1977 and has a membership of more than a thousand, spread across South Wales. It is active in charity work and has links with local schools and colleges. Its current premises are in Stow Hill, Newport.
The Society thanks Barclays Bank and the local manager in Newport, Mr. Andrew Price, the Orsion Charitable Trust and the Rt. Revd. Dominic Walker, the Church in Wales Bishop of Monmouth, for help and support given in purchasing the building.
