Methodist Church

Methodist Church

Minister: Rev Pat Olivent-Hayes

Corton Methodist Church

The Street

Corton

1874 - 2005

131 Years of Worship

When Jeremiah Colman first moved to Corton, Methodists were already meeting and he decided to build a place of worship. The foundation stone of Corton Methodist Church was laid on the 28th April 1873 and the church opened on 7th April 1874.

On 20th August 1887 there was a congregation of over 600 people

The windows in the church tell the story of love of the Colman family for the village, the Methodist Church and the Gospel. The two on the east wall commemorate his wife, Caroline and the two on the north and south walls are respectively for Jeremiah and Alan Couzens-Hardy Colman. Alan was a sufferer from TB and on doctor's advice spent a lot of time in Corton for the freshness of the air. However, his condition worsened and his doctors sent him to the dry climate of Egypt. Unfortunately whilst on a cruise up the Nile, Alan died in 1897, aged 30 in Luxor. The south window depicts Alan against a background of lateen rigged Dhows and palm trees. Jeremiah died eighteen months later and in the north window he is depicted against a background of fishing smacks and luggers from this area

Report from the Lowestoft Journal 2nd August 1873

On Monday afternoon the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new chapel took place at Corton under very favourable and interesting circumstances. A bottle containing the names of the circuit minister, the trustees, three local papers, a circuit plan and a copy of the Connexional Magazine was placed in a receptacle for the purpose over which the foundation stone was laid by Mrs Colman. Each member of the family of J.J. Colman Esq laid a brick bearing their initials. These can be found on the north wall at the back of the chapel. A tea followed on the lawns of Corton House attended by 800 people

With thanks to Christine Bowler for the above information