Dunstable Road Wesleyan Methodist Church Luton

Dunstable Road Wesleyan Methodist Chapel on a map of 1924

Dunstable Road Wesleyan Methodist church was built 1908 on the corner of Dunstable Road and Beech Road. It was part of the Chapel Street Wesleyan Circuit. It opened on the same day as Dallow Road Wesleyan Methodist church.

The church did not have a long life at Dunstable Road. The building did not possess much in the way of facilities beyond the church itself and two small vestries [MB1761]. To remedy the deficiencies it was intended to build a new church on ground in front of the existing building.

In 1932 the Wesleyan Methodists came together with the Primitive and United Methodists to form the Methodist Church of Great Britain. The increasing realisation that a union would indeed take place caused the congregation of Dunstable Road to rethink their plans as early as 1925. Dunstable Road Primitive Methodist church was nearby on the corner with Oak Road, and the new Methodist Conference would not agree to further development in the area.

A new site was secured at Beech Hill in 1926 and the new church was built in time to move in 1934. The old Dunstable Road premises was not finally disposed of until 1937, for £3,750, £1,250 less than had been hoped [MB1761].

Irving Rumbles in his booklet on Methodism in Luton in the 20th century notes that the old Dunstable Road church had become a mosque by 2000.

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service has the following records relating to the chapel:

• MB2349: Trustees’ minute book: 1908-1966;
• MB2350: Trust cash book: 1926-1959
• MB455: programme for Rainbow Market: 1931