The Victorian chapel of St Catherine
In 1854, the land was still known as St Katherine’s and was jointly owned by Major
William Colegrave, (formerly William Manby) George Winter, Thomas Pears and Thomas
Winn. Over the next thirty years or so, the land changed hands and was sold off
for redevelopment until the last remaining area was sold to the Methodists for £650.00.
Around this time the ‘K’ of St Katherine’s was dropped and substituted with a ‘C’
and the area became known as St Catherine’s.
The development of St Catherine’s church evolved from the expansion of the Lincoln
Methodist Circuit. The architect appointed was Mr Ball and he presented a plan entitled
‘The World is My Parish’. The proposal outlined the development of the whole site
and included the school chapel, vestries and St Catherine’s church.
On the 18th June 1879, the Board of Trustees agreed to build the first phase of
the proposal which was the Wesleyan School chapel to cost no more than £3,000. Three
vestries were added and opened in 1883.
In May 1887, it was proposed that the second phase of should proceed and the impressive
St Catherine’s Wesleyan Church was opened in October 1888. The final phase included
the construction of additional school buildings to the rear of the chapel.
By all accounts, for many years the church complex was a lively focal point for
the local community. The school building and chapel were used for a myriad of uses
including worship, Sunday school, clubs, societies, talks, plays, parties, lectures
and so on.
The tower was originally not added to the church but at a meeting in 1908, it was
decided to proceed. A problem was encountered whilst building the tower and the
spire was not completed until March 1910. Over subsequent years, various problems
occurred in the building, notably with the heating and lighting but also with damp,
the church however, continued to function.
