History

A history of Denmead Baptist Church

18th Century

Although it is believed that there were dissenting Christians in the Denmead area before the Act of Toleration of

1689 it was not until 1717 that William Luff applied for the first ‘licence’.  Even so it was not until 1829 that “a

certain chapel, Anmore.  Humphrey Crossman, minister” was registered.  This ‘certain chapel’ was the beginning

of what was to become Denmead Baptist Church through the ministry of Daniel Miall, baptised at St Thomas’s

Street Baptist Church in Portsmouth and ordained there in 1774.  Through his ministry, centred on Meeting House

Alley, Miall has been recognised as the most prolific sponsor of new churches and trainer of pastors in the history of

the Southern Baptist Association.

19th Century

The church building at Denmead was acquired through the purchase of ‘a dwelling, stable and buildings’ from Simon

Hatch on 23^rd June 1828.  This allowed for a brick-built chapel to be constructed, a field next door for picnics and

celebrations, and Firgrove Cottages as its Manse.  By May 1841 the fellowship had reduced in number and was

unable to finance the upkeep of the chapel.  The chapel was gifted to Hambledon parish and employed as a ‘chapel-

of-ease’ for Anglicans in the Denmead Area.  The manse and field were bought by Humphrey Crossman before

being sold on to William Walker. 

The fellowship did not disappear entirely, however, and continued to meet in various homes around the village.  By

1881 the congregation had grown to the extent that a meeting hall was needed.  The Forest of Bere public house,

located at the village end of Anmore Road, had a suitable upstairs room which became the church’s meeting place

on Sundays.  An application to move back into the chapel was met with opposition from Hambledon parish –

until an Anglican church, All Saints, was being built in Denmead in 1892.  In 1894 the Baptist congregation moved

back onto the site in Anmore Road, tore down the dilapidated chapel building and rebuilt it.  This is the building

used for worship today.

20th Century

Not much remains of the detailed life of the church between 1894 and 1930. As some point in the 1920s a lay

pastor, Mr Mansbridge, arrived.  He died in 1930 and was replaced in the early 1930s by Mr Gould, whose family

kept a Drapers shop in the end-of-terrace house across the road from the church. 

The work of the Pastor was picked up in 1934 by Mr Nutkins, whose wife was President of the “Women’s Bright

Hour” meeting.  They continued in ministry until 1944 when Mr Nutkins was asked to leave on account of his lack

of training in ‘Baptist work’ – a move seen as instigated by Rev. Tooke from Waterlooville Baptist Church.  Mr

Nutkins went to a Baptist Bible College and on completion accepted the call to pastor three churches in Cornwall. 

The impact on the church in Denmead was to split, with some (including the Women’s Bright Hour) starting a new

church based at Greylands in Mill Road, whilst Waterlooville Baptist Church took ‘oversight’ of those who remained

at the chapel.

A new phase of the church was instigated by the arrival of (Waterlooville Baptist Church appointed!) Sister Mable

Carnell, as ‘Deaconess in Charge’, in 1947.  With a difficult task in front of her she healed many broken

relationships.  It may have been this that contributed to her ill-health and early retirement, and eventually her

premature death.  She was replaced by Sister Hazel Graham in about 1953 – who inherited a church with well

attended services and several baptisms.  However, she too paid with her health – and after much illness died of

bronchitis at the age of 62.

Having had lay pastors and Deaconesses the church next tried student pastors.  In 1960 Mr Bryan Oman arrived as a

student pastor – lodging with Mr and Mrs Pierson in Hambledon Road.  After a year in post he left for full-time

ministerial training before settling in Milford, Southampton.  He was followed by Mr W Rogers, who also left after

one year to go to college for ministerial training before settling at Hendley, Exmoor.  These student pastors

provided some stability and held the church together.

From 1962 the church relied on visiting preachers, however, the removal of the Pierson family to Hambledon, and

then Waterlooville, left a serious dent in church life.  The Pierson family had been the backbone of the church for

some time – providing Church Secretaries, Treasurers, organist, Sunday School teachers, etc.  As a result, help was

sought from Waterlooville Baptist Church. 

 Rev. Murray Raw of Waterlooville became the Moderator, and three or four members took it upon themselves to

support this struggling fellowship.  Most notable of these were Miss Bailey and Miss Beart (retired school teachers

from Marcham in Oxfordshire) who provided great help in many areas of church life.  Another stalwart of support

was Gordon Norgate from Tangier Road Baptist Church in Portsmouth.  It was Gordon who gave many a young

preacher the opportunity to grow – one such young man at the age of 18 remembers his first ever preaching

engagement at Denmead – this young man, Jonathon Booth, went on to become a Director of Care for the Family.

Some time later Sister Ethel Stephenson retired out from Portsmouth.  She took over as Church Secretary and

generally ‘mothered’ the fellowship until she died.  She was replaced as Church Secretary by Mr Frank Dellow, who

with Mrs Dellow worked hard in the church, travelling two or three times each day from Purbrook.

After another period without oversight, and with much prayer, a student pastor, Mr Ken Hyde arrived in 1988.  At

the end of his studies he moved to Devon to take up full-time ministry.  This saw Mrs Diane Cooper, a retired

school teacher, take over as Lay Pastor in 1990.  During Diane’s ten year ministry she built a solid foundation in the

church. 

Present Days

As a result of Diane’s ministry and Baptist Union Home Mission support the church was able to call its first full -

time stipendiary ordained minister in 2003, when Rev. Danny Paine Winnett accepted the call to minister at

Denmead. 

Danny has helped the church to move forward over the last five years and the church in Denmead is a thriving and

lively community.  In 2006 a feasibility study into the building was carried out by BCH Architects, concluding that

the long-term development plans of the church were not possible on this site.  A period of prayer and reflection is

currently being taken to see where we believe God is leading for the future ...