CASTLE Community Church has taken time to honour the 50th anniversary of its foundation stone being laid.

Yesterday, Saturday, the church in Northwich remembered when Tom Alcock laid the foundation stone in the new church in Beeston Street, Castle, in 1971.

Mr Alcock was a strong supporter of the church, a former town mayor of Northwich Urban District Council and was the owner of the dairy on Castle.

The then Castle Methodist Church was the first church to be built in Northwich for many years and replaced the former Zion Street Methodist Church which was being demolished because of the 1960’s redevelopment of Castle.

It was built by builders H Rogerson, and came about because of the inspiration, leadership and encouragement of Rev Bob Lomax who was the minister at the time.

Rev Chris Pritchard, Methodist minister at Castle Community Church, said: "50 years ago, the laying of the foundation stone of our Church was a new era for Castle and I would like to thank my congregation and all those within the community at Castle for supporting the church over the years.

"Because of the pandemic, we are not able to celebrate this very special birthday, but we hope to be back in church in June when this date will certainly be remembered."

Wendy Carr, a trustee at the Church added: "The laying of the foundation stone was especially important for me as Mr Alcock was my late grandfather.

"I remember the day well.

"Preston Brook Silver Band accompanied the hymns we sang and there were more than 300 people watching as the stone was laid.

"There was much excitement on Castle as the church was being built and it was a spectacular sight to see as the church took shape.

"Our previous church was in Zion Street but had to be demolished because of the council’s redevelopment plans, but strangely the new church was built on the site of a former Wesleyan Methodist Church in Chapel Street."