Quaker News Archive: March 2005

11 March 2005

Fire at Jordans Meeting House

Jordans Meeting House was severely damaged by fire during the night of Thursday 10th March 2005.

The wardens Mary and Stephen Bellamy were taken to Wexham Park Hospital. Mary was discharged almost immediately but Stephen was kept in with burns to his face and smoke inhalation. Alternative temporary accommodation has already been arranged for them and for their daughter Rosa who is a student at The Mount in York.

The "New" Jordans Meeting House, a Grade 1 listed building, was built by a small group of local Quakers including Thomas Elwood in 1688 on four acres of land purchased from William Russell, farmer and owner of Jordans Farm. These Friends signed a declaration that they held the property "not for private use, profit or advantage" but in trust "for faithful Friends of Chalfont Meeting". It has been the treasured home of a Quaker worshipping group drawn from Jordans Village, Seer Green, the Chalfonts and the Beaconsfield area. It is a historical Heritage site and William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, is buried in the grounds.

The fire started in the wardens' flat at the back of the property. It spread through the first floor accommodation, which was completely destroyed, and into the wooden rafters of the 17th Century Meeting House. While the roof has fallen in, the brick frame still stands and the lead paned windows at the front of the Meeting House are unbroken. While plans will be developed as soon as possible for restoration and re-building, it will be many months before it can be used again for worship. The weekly Meeting for Worship has been re-located to Old Jordans Hotel and Conference Centre for the foreseeable future.

For at least 10 years local Friends have held the vision of Jordans Village, Old Jordans and Jordans Meeting House forming an integrated centre for Quaker outreach in the Chiltern area. Coming in the same week as the announcement of the sale of Old Jordans Hotel and Conference Centre by Old Jordans Trust, local Friends’ primary response has been to "wonder what God is trying to tell us…"

For further information please contact the local meeting Clerk: Hilary Pinder on 01494 675280.

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