Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel

Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel
Former Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel
Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel
52.502962°N 1.914711°W / 52.502962; -1.914711
Location	Birmingham
Country	England
Denomination	Wesleyan Methodist
Architecture
Architect	John George Bland
Style	Gothic
Groundbreaking	1864
Completed	1865 (1865)
Construction cost	£4,000
Demolished	2008 (2008)
Specifications
Capacity	1100 people
Length	84 feet (26 m)
Width	58 feet (18 m)
Height	120 feet (37 m)

Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel (also known as Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel) was a Wesleyan Methodist place of worship at the junction of George Street and Lozells Street, Birmingham. It is noted as the place at which Aston Villa football club was founded on 21 November 1874.

History

In 1850 a Wesleyan Methodist chapel was established at the junction of George Street and Lozells Road but the initial building soon became inadequate for the needs of the congregation.

A competition was launched by the Wesleyan Methodist congregation to design a new chapel and in June 1863 it was announced that John George Bland had been selected architect.

The memorial stone was laid on 26 April 1864 by Councillor Naish and construction cost £4,000 (equivalent to £434,526 in 2025). It was built of red and blue brick, finished with Bath stone dressings. The building consisted of a nave of five bays, and north and south aisles. At the eastern end of the interior was a shallow chancel opening into the nave with an arch of brickwork and incised stone. At the north angle of the chancel was a vestry with a chamber over it opening into the north gallery. At the other angle was a room containing the heating apparatus and above this a vaulted chamber for the organ, and between the two angles was a small singers’ gallery connected with the organ chamber. Instead of a pulpit, a rostrum with a carved front stood in the chancel on a raised platform, paved with Mosaic tiles. The galleries extended the whole length and breadth of the aisles and were supported by iron columns with floreated capitals. The pews were of deal, stained and varnished providing accommodation for 1,100 persons. The western end of the chapel included two windows of two lights and cusped arch, over which was a large window to St Katherine. All of these windows were fitted with stained glass by Heaton, Butler and Bayne. The remaining windows were glazed with toned glas.

It was opened for worship on Wednesday 31 May 1865 when Revd. Dr. Osborne, President of the Conference, preached.

The previous chapel was re-used as the school room.

It is noted as the place at which on 21 November 1874 members and cricket players from the church formed Aston Villa football club.

In 1962 the church building was bought by the New Testament Church of God, a Christian church of Caribbean origin. In 2008 the chapel was demolished and the site replaced with a new building for the Handsworth New Testament Church of God.

Organ

A new organ was opened on 11 June 1869 by the noted organist and recitalist William Thomas Best. It was built by Thomas J. Robson of St Martin’s Lane, London.