Young people at Beeston Methodist Church in Chilwell Road have assembled a time capsule for future generations to discover.
Junior Church members enjoyed gathering an array of material to put in the air-tight box, which will be buried under the new floor of the century-old building, currently undergoing a major redevelopment.
Some interesting finds have been unearthed since work began in February to transform the church interior to create a bright, open space for the whole community to use.
As part of the project, the church pews were removed and the floor flattened to make it more accessible. Under the floorboards the builders found an old boot, believed to have been placed there when the church opened in 1902.
For centuries it was a common tradition to put footwear in the foundations of buildings to ward off evil spirits. The BMC boot has been registered with the Concealed Shoe Index at Northampton Museum and it will be replaced under the church floor where it was found so that in future people will be able to uncover it again.
Items in the capsule include a bible, a hymn book, a statement written by the Minister, the Rev Andrew Checkley, a selection of current coins, a photograph of Junior Church members and staff and photographs of the church before the redevelopment started.
Chris Bridges, chairman of the BMC Redevelopment Group, said: “Some interesting bits and pieces have also been found under the balcony floor – cigarette cards, biblical quotations and a possible love letter. We think this must have been where the youth group met”.
The exterior and interior of the church is currently clothed in scaffolding. Main features of the £2m redevelopment will be a new church roof, installing a more efficient heating system and updating the historic pipe organ.
Written by Dave Lowe
Photo 1: Beeston Methodist Church clothed in scaffolding
Photo 2: Items found under the balcony floor during renovation work at Beeston Methodist Church