A Brief History of St. Saviour's Church

The parish of St Saviour's was originally part of the old parish of Stoke-next-Guildford, mentioned in the Domesday Book of William I.  This enormous parish included that of Stoke, along with St Saviour's, Christ Church, Stoughton and part of the Westborough areas of Guildford, but it was entirely rural. Towards the end of the reign of Queen Victoria, Guildford began to grow.  Rev. Francis Paynter, Rector of Stoke, realised the need for his parishioners to have a church in closer proximity to the town.  He purchased land at the junction of Woodbridge Road and what is now Onslow Street, and an iron church (the 'Tin Tabernacle') was opened in 1876.  A former lay reader at Stoke, Rev. J.C. Montgomery was curate-in-charge.  It was a functional, inexpensive building, with many drawbacks, but serving a population approaching 10,000.

On 2^nd January 1891 Rev.  W.E. Peters came from St John's Bexhill to serve as curate at Stoke with particular responsibility for what would become the parish of St Saviour's.  His term of office was to last for some 30 years.  A church hall was erected in 1892 to serve as a temporary church, and on 26^th August 1893 the ancient parish of Stoke was formally divided, creating the new parish of St Saviour's.  The patron of the parish is the Simeon Trust, which was created by a leading evangelical churchman, Charles Simeon of Cambridge.

In 1893 the present site was bought for £1,000, and after some delays over finances, the foundation stone for our church building was laid on 17^th September 1898.  The architectural style was to be 14^th century Gothic and the building was to be of local or Bargate stone with Bath stone dressing.  The church was consecrated on 7^th October 1899.  The west end of the church, including the tower and spire, was completed subsequently and the building  was dedicated on 26^th March 1906 by the Bishop of Winchester, with over 700 people present.

Rev. Peters served until his sudden death in 1926.  Six Rectors have held the post subsequently, as follows:

Canon Cornell (1927-1942)	Rev. L. O. Kenyon (1942-1948)	Rev. R.B.S. Gillman (1948-1956)
Rev. Bill White (1956-1968)	Rev. John Skinner (1968-1984)	Rev. David Bracewell (1984-2010)

We have been greatly blessed by the ministries of these devoted clergymen and we realise what a debt of gratitude we owe them.

In 1960 a church hall was constructed in Leas Road, to replace the original one.

In 1976 the mother church of Stoke seemed likely to be made redundant by the church authorities due to falling attendances.  St Saviour's PCC was anxious that this should not happen, given past associations, and offered assistance to keep Stoke Church open for worship.  By 1989 the two churches were able to be separated once more.

By the 1980s, the Leas Road Hall needed attention and the church needed new facilities for expansion.  After many delays and financial uncertainties, a new Centre was built on land adjacent to the church and the Hall was eventually sold.  

In 1993 the present Church Centre was dedicated by the Bishop of Guildford.  In 2000, for greater flexibility in worship, the interior of the church was re-ordered: the chancel was opened out with broad steps, the wartime memorial chapel was moved to its present location, and the pews were replaced with comfortable chairs.  A baptismal pool was also installed.

Today's congregation remains greatly indebted to the vision and sacrifice of previous worshippers and we view our historical heritage as a matter for humble thanksgiving.

Harold Colyer & Jennifer Hogg - June 2009