Our History…

Woodbridge Quay Church was formed when Quay United Reformed Church merged with Beaumont Baptist Church.

Woodbridge Quay Church, commonly known as "The Church with the Hands", has been serving the community of Woodbridge since 1651, when it was first known as Quay Meeting House.

The present congregation is a re-joining together of two congregations. Quay Congregational Church were in this present building and Beaumont Baptist Church (after the latter moved from their chapel in Chapel Street/Cuttings Lane).

The Beaumont congregation had previously split from Quay Meeting House in the 1780's, and the reconciliation in 2006 was seen as a mending of much of Woodbridge’s divided church community. This is possibly why Woodbridge Quay Church are today passionate about the Churches Together movement in Woodbridge & Melton that unites churches of all denominations towards common community purposes.

Our building itself was never chapel like or flamboyant in architecture. The original donors and members made very decisive steps to not add much grandeur, but to rather invest in people, our community and the on-site school.

The existing Main Sanctuary is a re-build from 1805, and the adjacent Large Hall (also with a magnificent memorial stained glass window) is the original Schoolhouse from 1897. The ongoing children's work is in it's 350th year as records show the first teacher was licenced at The Quay in 1672.

In 2012 The Quay undertook the modernisation project and joined the two buildings with the modern Foyer, kitchen and first floor Sunday school classrooms.

We take pride in the old features, however wooden pews and a decommissioned organ were removed so that we could better accommodate our community, but you can’t help but notice the current more comfortable chairs draw from the colours of the stained glass.

Our hand sculpture has become a landmark in Woodbridge since it’s commission in 2014, The sculptor, Rick Kirby, is also known for the large Sutton Hoo helmet sculpture, and many other noteworthy large-scale figurine works.

On the hands sculpture you will see the text “I Hold and am Held”. The idea is to encourage all to sit in the hands, and be mindful to love, care for, and support our community... and that they are loved, supported and upheld by Our Heavenly Father.