Cuxton Community Church

Cuxton Mission Hall opened on Tuesday 19th January 1897 in the same year as Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Prior to this the villagers met in a nearby cottage to worship until it was decided that they needed larger premises.

A prefabricated building was purchased by the villagers – these buildings were commonplace as Churches and music rooms. The timber and corrugated iron structures were easily put up and taken down and easily transported.

Cuxton Chapel started out as a Congregationalist Church under the guidance of The Vines Church (www.thevineschurch.org.uk) in Rochester. The Chapels opening was part of a wave of building carried out by the newly formed National Congregational Union.

In 1972 the Chapel became part of the United Reform Church thereby giving up its independence and property to become a member of a national Church.

In the late 1970’s there was a fire in the interior of the Chapel which meant it needed redecorating. By the 2000’s the cost of upkeep of the Chapel proved too much and it was realised that a new building was needed. In 2002 the Chapel closed and it was dismantled sympathetically and donated to The Museum of Kent Life (www.kentlife.org.uk). In 2003 after it was painstakingly restored it is open to the public as an exhibit.

After 2002 Cuxton URC now named Cuxton Community Church met in the Church Hall that was situated behind the original Chapel. This is where we meet to this day.