Brief History of St Andrew’s URC, Walton-on-Thames

In the 1930s a group of Christian people, many of them of Scottish origin, set up a Presbyterian Church in Walton-on-Thames. A site was acquired and a church building erected. It was intended at a later date this building would be used as the Church hall, while a while a new Church would be erected on the site.

Later it was decided to retain the original building as the church and build a hall adjacent on the site. These were completed in the 1950s and refurbished in the 1990s. A large house was purchased near the Church, on Hersham Road, and this served as the manse until about 1980 when a modern detached house in St Martins Drive was purchased in its place.

St Andrew’s was structured in the traditional way, with a Deacon’s Court looking after the finance fabrics and buildings, while the Minister and Elders gave pastoral care to the congregation. As membership increased over the years, particularly in the 1960/1970 period, over 300 members and their families attended the morning or evening services. The Church hall became a focus for community activities including cubs, brownies, scouts and guides, as well as an open youth club, and being hired out to other organisations for local functions.

In 1972 St Andrew’s joined the newly established United Reformed Church in the Guildford District of the Wessex Province.

As a result of its beginnings, the congregation is a scattered one and is composed of people from a variety of backgrounds. Members live within and outside of Walton-on-Thames on either side of the river.