Our history
Our fellowship, now known as Calvary, came into being in 1972, when two existing churches recognised and answered God’s call to amalgamate. At that historic time, members of Victoria (formerly Eldon Road) Baptist Church in Riverside came to join with the congregation of Hope Baptist, who had worshipped on our Cowbridge Road site since 1858. In one rather lovely sense, the churches had always been related – both having been established through the missionary zeal of members of Bethany Baptist Church, who then met in the City centre.
Such was the growth in attendance at Hope Baptist in early days, that by 1880 the first chapel had been outgrown and a larger one raised on land at the rear. The original building was retained to provide Sunday School rooms until 1936, when it was demolished to make way for our present worship centre which opened in September the following year.
In a reversal of roles, the 1880 building then became the church hall and Sunday School – functions it still performs to this day.
In more recent times, renovations have changed the interiors of the buildings beyond recognition, but passing shoppers would have noticed little difference until 2011 – when a startling new façade showed that the church was not only alive and well but also ready and anxious to welcome and serve the local community.
Such was the growth in attendance at Hope Baptist in early days, that by 1880 the first chapel had been outgrown and a larger one raised on land at the rear. The original building was retained to provide Sunday School rooms until 1936, when it was demolished to make way for our present worship centre which opened in September the following year.
In a reversal of roles, the 1880 building then became the church hall and Sunday School – functions it still performs to this day.
In more recent times, renovations have changed the interiors of the buildings beyond recognition, but passing shoppers would have noticed little difference until 2011 – when a startling new façade showed that the church was not only alive and well but also ready and anxious to welcome and serve the local community.