Description of Historic Place

The Willoughby Methodist Church is a modest, one-storey wood-frame church located in the Willoughby neighbourhood in the Township of Langley. It is among the historic landmarks of the Willoughby neighbourhood and is distinctive for its front-gabled roof, projecting front porch, shingle siding and triangular eave brackets. The church exists within the context of other early twentieth century buildings of similar scale.

Heritage Value

The Willoughby Methodist Church, built in 1921-22, is significant as a representation of a community institution, and symbolizes the growth and evolution of both the Methodist and United Church congregations in the neighbourhood since the 1920s. The first local Methodist services were initially held in a private home in 1920, as an outreach of the Methodist church at Milner. Rapid population growth in the community spurred the demand for a proper church building. Built on donated land, the church was constructed by volunteer labour under the direction of Jack Bray. Funds for the materials were obtained from the Board of Home Missions of the Methodist Church, and the new church opened for worship on April 23, 1922. As a community institution, Willoughby Methodist Church brought a sense of identity to this rural neighbourhood. Many social gatherings and events were held here, making it the focus for both community and spiritual activity. After unification in 1925, the church housed a United Church congregation under the Milner Pastoral Charge, and served the growing community until its closure in 1965.

Additionally, the Willoughby Methodist Church has heritage value for its modest Craftsman-style architecture, demonstrating the late persistence of this style in rural communities following the First World War. The use of the Craftsman style echoed the style of the residential buildings in the neighbourhood, which were similar in scale and appearance. Although this building has been altered over time with rear additions and has been converted to a residence, much of its historic fabric remains intact. It is being restored as part of a current (2009-2011) redevelopment of this site.

Source: Township of Langley, Planning Department

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Willoughby Methodist Church include its:
- location in the historic Willoughby neighbourhood of the Township of Langley, set amongst buildings of similar scale and age
- modest institutional form, scale and massing as expressed by its one-storey symmetrical rectangular plan, with medium pitched, front-gabled roof and projecting front porch
- wood-frame construction including cedar shingle siding, and louvred vent in the front gable
- Craftsman-style details such as shingle siding, triangular eave brackets and exposed rafter tails
- symmetrical fenestration including original six-paned wooden windows with two-paned transoms