picture of church building at night time

Peel Isle of Man

Newspaper Rennovation Article

Our building has a long history and is consquently old. In the late 1990s major renovation works were undertaken including the roof, and the outside was smartened up too.

The Building on 1st January 1993 showing its sad appearence. Click on the image to enlarge.

Grace baptist Church, Market Street Peel, Isle of Man, in need of smartening up.

 

Our building in 2012

Grace Baptist Church peel Isle of Man in 2012

and in May 2014

Grace Baptist Church Peel seen In May 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This article was published in the Peel City Guardian March 1st 1997.

PEEL CITY GUARDIAN, MARCH 1,1997 THE Grace Baptist Church in Lower Market Street, Peel is now ready for its special Service and Thanksgiving, to celebrate its new 'facelift'. The local firm of Kaneen and Kneen have been working on the building for almost a year to bring the building back to its former appearance in 1910. The other major contractor has been Apex Ceiling and Partitioning Ltd. of St. John's. The plans for this restoration were drawn up by Ray Richardson, and it is estimated that some £30,000 has been spent on the building. £9,300 of this was a grant from the Department of Local Government and Environment, given because the Church is situated in a Conservation Area, and the rest, some £20,000 was generously donated by people on and off the Island during 1996. This money has been used to refurbish the Church internally, buy new chairs and paint the walls and also to replace doors and windows and fit a suspended ceiling. Another major project has been re-slating the roof. It seems a pity that just one week after having the external walls painted, they were vandalised with black paint: which not only ruined the exterior appearance of the Church, but also set back the Church Fund in having to find extra money to repaint them. A few years ago, the former Moore's Mathematical School was sharply criticised in an exhibition set up by Peel Heritage Trust. Photos were displayed showing the building's various defects and, as Pastor of the Grace Baptist Church, Matthew Else, explained, the Church was 'publicly embarrassed'. Unfortunately, at the time it was impossible to even think of embarking on an extensive building programme. Happily, the situation has improved greatly, allowing a building fund to be created and a much needed renovation to be carried out. Moore's Mathematical School was founded in 1763 and rebuilt in 1845 according to the plaque in the centre of the tympanum. The building as it now appears has a length of about fifty feet with a long low rectangular shape topped by a low triangular attic top, or tympanum, extending over its central portion. It runs along the part of the Street roughly parallel with the promenade, just where the road turns to the right at the bottom of the hill, with a narrow walled and railed off pavement in front of the building. There is a small extension at the rear which is at a right angle to the inward end, which is now a kitchen. The front has two doors and windows, rectangular in shape with Georgian rounded tops and separated by pillasters. The right hand door retains its fanlight. The construction is mainly of sandstone with brickwork forming the arching. A new plaque at the left hand end of the front of the building tells that it was unveiled by John Bell, Patron of Peel Association Football Club on Sunday, 2nd October, 1988, to commemorate the founding of the Club at the Grammar and Mathematical School, Lower Market Street, Peel, on Monday 1st October 1888. However, the new refurbishment is only of secondary importance to Pastor Matthew Else. He explained that the important work of the Church was the preaching of the Gospel, but he hopes that the appearance of the Church will encourage more people to attend services. A 'good turn out' is expected at the special service of worship and thanksgiving for the successful completion of the work - as people who have helped provide funds, local Commissioners and members of Heritage organisations will all be invited. It is likely to be a 'full house' so loudspeakers are to be installed to relay the proceedings into the kitchen! Matthew Else, who has just returned from Africa, is grateful that, at last, the Church is receiving community support.

 

 

 

Grace Tinies Todler and Carer Group

Recent Sermons

Matthew Else On Evangelism