Church renovation unearths items from early 1900s

Renovations of a church in Nottinghamshire have unearthed a number of old items dating back to the early 1900s.

A redevelopment project at Beeston Methodist Church, on Chilwell Road in Beeston, started in February as part of plans to create a "bright and accessible space" for the community.

Young members of the church planned to bury their own time capsule before the work began, and since then, evidence of a much earlier youth group has been uncovered.

The organisation said the "interesting" items found under the church balcony floor included cigarette cards - collectible cards once issued in cigarette packaging - biblical quotations and a possible love letter.

Chris Bridges, chairman of the church's redevelopment group, said: "We think this must have been where the youth group met."

A member of the redevelopment group at the church, Dave Lowe, added the team "smiled and had a laugh" when they discovered the items.

For their own time capsule, the current church group has selected a Bible, a hymn book, a statement by the minister - the Reverend Andrew Checkley - a selection of current coins, a photograph of junior church members and staff, and photographs of the church before the redevelopment started.

As part of the redevelopment, the floor of the church is being flattened to make it more accessible, which has involved removing the church pews.

It was under the floorboards that builders found an old boot, believed to have been placed there when the church opened in 1902.

An old tradition of concealing shoes in walls and other areas of buildings was said to have brought good luck and warded off evil spirits.

The church said the boot that was found had been registered with the Concealed Shoe Index at Northampton Museum - started as a result of hundreds of concealed shoes being discovered - and will be replaced under the church floor so it can be rediscovered in the future.

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