Our History
From Easter Sunday 2013 the congregations of St Andrew's URC in Eastcote and Northwood Hills URC amalgamated, creating one new Church with two sites. In 2018 the URC of Eastcote & Northwood Hills decided to close and sell their Eastcote site and transfer all its activities to the Northwood Hills site, Joel Street.
History of Northwood Hills URC - Northwood Hills United Reformed Church is a post WW2 church. After the 1939/45 war, the Northwood Hills area developed rapidly and the Baptist Union obtained a piece of land on Joel Street in the expectation that they would eventually build a church on it. Among those who moved into the area around 1954 were a number of people of Congregational persuasion, who, finding that the nearest churches of their denomination were a long distance away - in Harrow and Ickenham - approached the London Congregational Union and discussed the formation of a Congregational church in Northwood Hills. As the Baptist Union had decided not to proceed with their plans in the district the site in Joel Street had been acquired by the London Congregational Union. As support was there for a new church, in 1955 the Congregational Church in Northwood Hills was officially established with a membership of 28. Buildings were erected and opened in November 1958, their cost having been funded partly by war damage compensation paid in respect of the bombed Kingsland Road Congregational Church in East London, which was not to be rebuilt. This is why the Kingsland Hall is so named. There is a plate on the wall which was recovered from the ruins in Kingsland Road.
Several ministers have served at Northwood Hills URC:
Several ministers have served at Northwood Hills URC:
- Revd. Anthony D. Tucker 1958 - 1965
- Revd. Howell G. Nicholas 1966 - 1970
- Revd. Sam N. Evans 1970 - 1975
- Revd. Bruce D. Stuart 1976 - 1982
- Revd. Kenneth W. Marsh 1982 - 1993
- Revd. Dr. Robin Pagan 1994 - 2003
- Revd. Elizabeth Shaw 2005 - 2020
History of St Andrew's United Reformed Church Eastcote - In 2018 the URC of Eastcote & Northwood Hills decided to close and sell this Eastcote site and transfer all its activities to the Northwood Hills site, Joel Street.
St. Andrew’s was originally a Presbyterian Church and served a congregation which included many Scottish people or people of Scottish descent who resided in the Eastcote and Pinner area. In 1972 the Presbyterian and Congregational Churches joined together to form the United Reformed Church. Plans for the Church were first started in 1937 with the building opening and having its first Church Service in November 1939, although during construction services had been held at Eastcote House with John Greer as the Sunday School Leader. The building didn't escape the war unscathed, as it was damaged by a landmine in 1940! In 1948 the new Youth Hall was opened with the Sunday School becoming the largest in the denomination, needing a Sunday School outpost to be set up in Southbourne Gardens to cope with expansion in 1951. By 1954 there were over 700 in Sunday School and Junior Church! The newly built John Greer Hall and other buildings were opened in 1963.
Several Ministers have served St Andrew's URC Eastcote:
St. Andrew’s was originally a Presbyterian Church and served a congregation which included many Scottish people or people of Scottish descent who resided in the Eastcote and Pinner area. In 1972 the Presbyterian and Congregational Churches joined together to form the United Reformed Church. Plans for the Church were first started in 1937 with the building opening and having its first Church Service in November 1939, although during construction services had been held at Eastcote House with John Greer as the Sunday School Leader. The building didn't escape the war unscathed, as it was damaged by a landmine in 1940! In 1948 the new Youth Hall was opened with the Sunday School becoming the largest in the denomination, needing a Sunday School outpost to be set up in Southbourne Gardens to cope with expansion in 1951. By 1954 there were over 700 in Sunday School and Junior Church! The newly built John Greer Hall and other buildings were opened in 1963.
Several Ministers have served St Andrew's URC Eastcote:
- Revd Dr Thomas Walker 1939 - 1947
- Revd Phillip Hancock 1947 - 1956
- Interim Moderator Revd Kenneth Slack 1956 - 1957
- Revd Joe Hislop 1957 - 1980
- Revd David Batchelor 1982 - 1993
- Revd Alyn Owens 1994 - 2003
- Revd Elizabeth Shaw 2005 - 2020