The Present Time

During 2008, Park URC together with Highroad Well & Warley URC decided to amalgamate and the separate congregations became one as NEW HOPE URC.

The church continues within the Halifax Group under the leadership of our Ministers and maintains an effective witness among all ages.

In 2009 we have around 130 children meeting on the premises enjoying Junior Church; Anchor boys, Junior and Company Boys Brigade; Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Senior Guides; Humpty Dumpty’s Pre-School and Carer and Toddler group.

We have a Social Group for anyone who cares to join with us monthly for slide shows; theatre visits; a Quiz; BBQ; speakers etc.    We also have Social Hour which meets during the day fortnightly with speakers of interest to anyone who would like to come.    A ladies Keep Fit group meets twice on Wednesdays.    We have the opportunity to enjoy social events arranged by ourselves and other churches in the Halifax Group, and also ecumenically in our area. 

We have four Prayer Circles which widen the prayers of our people for anyone who is ill or suffering in some way or just needs support in difficult times.    We provide transport to Sunday Services or any other event, for those who otherwise would be unable to attend.

Our Sunday worship sees an average attendance of 40 adults with 12 children whose ages range from 1 – 15 years.     We continue to pray for growth spiritually and for strength so that we may remain able to meet the needs of the people in and around the Highroad Well area for many years to come.

Highroad Well & Warley - A Brief History

For some years in the early 1900’s, the Halifax Congregational Association had been anxious to extend the witness of the denomination in the town and looked for a suitable area within the outer districts of the old town centre, as people were beginning to move to new developing areas - Highroad Well being such an area. An ”undenominational” Sunday School had been in existence since May 1829 in a building on land adjacent to the present Church building. After some 25 years of its life, difficulties arose through a growing number of pupils and a lack of teachers. In 1854 an appeal was made to the Halifax Sunday School Union for advice and assistance, as closure of the school was appearing to be the only option. The Sunday School Union concluded that there was little hope of increasing the supply of helpers unless the School put aside its “undenominational” nature and placed itself under the guardian care of a particular Church. This was accepted by the school officials and Harrison Road Congregational Church was chosen as its foster parent, whose members agreed to recognise Highroad Well as their branch.

Such was the popularity of this arrangement, that pupils increased and after some seven years the school building became too small and a new school building was built, completed and opened on 8th August 1861. This arrangement continued until 1873 but it was then decided to hand over Highroad Well to Park Congregational Church, which had been formed in 1870. Among Park’s members were many who had transferred from Harrison Road and with them of course the necessary monetary income which supported the Church’s branch at Highroad Well. The members remaining at Harrison Road are reported to have said “Park have taken the horses, now they must take the cart”.

A long association with Park Church continued until 1914 when two memorable events took place. Decisions were made to build a new Church and on the 2nd June the first sod was cut and the first foundation stones were laid on the 5th September, so lifting the hearts of the people, despite the threat of war looming. The new Church took one year to build and the opening was arranged for 1st September 1915.

The first minister was Rev. Henry Ironmonger and through his leadership and guidance the Church flourished and great progress was made. There were soon some 400 scholars attending Sunday School; a scout troop was formed and at worship each Sunday evening the Church was full to capacity - somewhere in the region of 500 worshippers.

In the intervening years the Church grew in stature and also in faith through its excellent ministerial leadership but as in all congregations of all denominations numbers declined throughout two world wars and the general strike between them. Despite this there has always been an abundance of activities on the premises and these were always well received and well attended by the young people in the area.

Since the early 1970’s to late 80’s we had annual pantomimes which many of us here either took part in, produced or worked hard back stage, and had many happy times with an abundance of enthusiastic children and adults. Unfortunately the number of children started to decline as these children either went to college/university or moved away from the area with not many younger children coming into the Sunday School to replace them.

Park - A Brief History

Park was a 19th Century success story. Its original 900 seater Gothic building was opened in 1867, on a site also housing a large Sunday School building and a Caretaker's house. 

By the turn of the 20th Century, the church had over 400 Adult Members and as many Sunday School Scholars. However, the world changed and Park began a struggle to survive, as its mainly middle class catchment moved away, to be replaced by people of another or no faith.

The loss of belonging and collapse of believing led, by the 1970's, to  Park being unable to maintain its old Church building. In 1980, it moved into the former Sunday School building, converting it for Worship purposes and for Community outreach.

In 1994 the old Church building was sold to the Halifax Group Charity Ltd.

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