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There has been a place of Christian worship on the east site of Newnham Avenue since about 1940 when a tin mission hut stood on the site. This was replaced by a brick built Methodist Church erected in 1953 which closed at the same time as St Paul’s Methodist Church, then in Harpur Street, which had been in continuous use since 1762. It stood on the site now occupied by Bedford Central Library. The two congregations amalgamated as Priory Methodist Church and the new building opened on 5 June 1969, incorporating the original church and hall of Newnham Avenue Church on the site. A new hall was added in 1981 and an additional major refurbishment took place in 2002 to provide the impressive suite of buildings now in use. The name Priory Methodist was chosen because of its close proximity to the old Newnham Priory founded by Simon de Beauchamp in 1165. The most striking features of the church are its unusual ‘stepped’ roofline, the stained glass window, so prominent on entering the church, and the cross at the front of the worship area. The window was designed by Gillian Rees Thomas and depicts “The Creation” in its various forms, while the cross is made from reclaimed timber from St Paul’s Methodist Church.

Registered Charity Number 1127751