Today, Pinner Baptist Church is one church across two sites. You can read more about the history of both our Paines Lane and Hatch End sites below.
A History of Pinner Baptist Church, Paines Lane
In 1859 a plot of land was leased for a Baptist Chapel on the north side of Chapel Lane at a ground rent of £2.8s. 0d. The Chapel was opened in 1860. When this land and the original chapel were sold to the Metropolitan Railway in April 1885 for £125, it was part of the deal that the Railway Company would lease an alternative site; this was on the corner of Marsh Road, where the Jewish Synagogue now stands.
The second church was more than double the size of the first, reflecting the growth in membership. By the turn of the century the church needed larger premises and, in 1905, a deposit of £10 was paid for the current site in Paines Lane. It took another 3 years before enough money had been raised to complete the purchase of the site and begin building.
Foundation stones were laid in October 1909 and on 21 April 1910 the present church building was opened.
In 1953 the church purchased land at the rear of the church reaching down to the River Pinn and plans went ahead in 1958 to extend. A Hall, three classrooms and toilets were added at the rear of the church and the new buildings opened in December 1961.
The next 50 years saw many changes, with improvements in heating, electrical and sound systems, use of modern technology, refurbishment of the kitchen and toilets, and the need to maintain and improve the buildings.
By the time the centenary was celebrated in 2010, the church buildings were being used by many local groups and a regular day nursery, in order to help with rising costs. Eventually, the land at the rear of the church was sold to the Pinn Medical Centre, making it possible to considerably improve the church heating system and refurbish the Church Sanctuary in 2017.
Today, Pinner Baptist Church in Paines Lane has been a place of prayer and worship for almost 110 years.
A History of Pinner Baptist Church, Hatch End (previously Hatch End Baptist Church)
In 1841, Hatch End’s population showed some 350 people living in over 50 dwellings, but by 1861 this number had trebled due to the arrival of the railway. Hatch End Station was opened in 1844 and, having made Hatch End easily accessible from the smoke of London, the railway encouraged the building of homes. No shops appeared until the 1920s, but in 1895 the parish church of St Anselm was dedicated.
In the 1930s the estate between The Avenue, the Uxbridge Road and Rowlands Avenue was developed, and to meet the needs of the new residents there, the Hatch End Free Church was established. The church was formally opened in 1936, the culmination of much work that had gone on for many years. Mr Cyril Black, later Sir Cyril, M.P. for Wimbledon, a distinguished Baptist, ably assisted by his brother, was of both inspirational and practical help in establishing the church. He helped to gather potential members together and with the actual building of the Hall, later providing extra internal fittings, such as chairs. Mr Black continued to support the church once the building was open, travelling every Sunday from his home in Surrey to conduct the services until the first minister was appointed.
The church hall was dedicated on 2nd May 1936, the doors being formally unlocked by Mrs Black at 3.15 p.m. The Opening Ceremony was presided over by Dr Gibbons of Wealdstone. The Rev. Henry Cook (President of the London Baptist Association) preached and greetings were given by six local ministers, the first one being the Vicar of St Anselm’s, the Rev. F.T. Lewis. In good church style, the day’s celebrations ended with a tea.
After the Hall was officially opened in May, the Hatch End Baptist Church was constituted on 6th September 1936 with 24 members. When the church was founded in the 1930s, it was envisaged that the hall would be the first part of the complex, and that a “proper” church would be built in due course. The 1970s were to see the fulfilment of this vision, with the new sanctuary opening in 1972.
Today
In October 2024, Hatch End Baptist Church officially merged with Pinner Baptist Church, becoming one church across two sites – Paines Lane and Hatch End.
On 26th October 2024, we commemorated the historic occasion with a special Merger Service at our Paines Lane site. We are grateful for all that God has done in and through both churches over the years, and are looking forward to all that is still to come as we continue to welcome new members and reach out to our community.