Our Meeting House, built in 1688, is steeped in Quaker history. The 17th-century meeting room retains most of its original brick - including the bare brick floor - glass, paneling and benches. However, it does have a modern heating system.
Unfortunately, the meeting house suffered a serious fire on March 10th 2005. Here is a report from the 10th May 2005 on the rebuilding process.
The Meeting House has been made safe from further collapse and is now awaiting restoration work. Scaffolding has now been erected around it and a "tin hat" will soon follow - a roof of corrugated iron, which will protect the inside of the building and enable it to dry out from the soaking it got when the fire was put out, and the subsequent wet weather. The insurers will pay for the complete cost of the restoration, which will enable the front part of the building - the Meeting Room - to be restored to its former state, which is a requirement because of its Grade 1 listed status. The contents of the Meeting House, which include the wooden benches and furniture, and the historic books and documents in the gallery, were almost completely undamaged by the fire, although the ceiling has been damaged by tiles and burning timbers falling through it.
It is likely to be some eighteen months - i.e. towards the end of 2006 - before the Meeting House can again be used for worship. Meanwhile the Quaker Meeting for Worship takes place every Sunday at 10.30am in Jordans Village Hall, Green West Road, Jordans Village and anyone is welcome to come and join us.
The back wing of the Meeting House, which includes the library, the warden's flat, and the kitchen and children's room, was almost completely gutted by the fire, and members of Jordans Meeting have specified how they would like to have this part of the building restored to bring it up to present day standards, and to meet the present needs of the Meeting. Some fund raising will probably be required when we have an estimate of what this part of the work will cost, over and above what the insurers are able to pay for. When this is clearer a fundraising effort for this will be mounted. There will be a restored library and an area for displays of information about the heritage of Jordans.
Members of Jordans Meeting would like to thank friends everywhere for all the messages of support they have received following the fire.
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