1860 - Reading Rooms - Pailton, Warwickshire - Dated Buildings and Cornerstones on Waymarking.com

Originally built as a reading room in 1860, this building now serves as the village hall.

Below the date stone, on the porch, is an extract from Philippians 4:8 -
'Whatsoever things are true,
Whatsoever things are pure,
Whatsoever things are lovely,
Think on these things.'

"The Village Hall ( Mission and Reading Room ) In 1837 David Nasmith formed The Town Missionary and Scripture. Readers Society. In 1854 the name was changed to The Country Town Missions. Louisa Daniell became an • examiner in the society. During a prolonged illness Louisa convalesced in Pailton, from her home in Warwick St. Rugby, to benefit from the fresh country air. She noticed that there was great poverty, vice and suffering existing in the community so began to remedy the situation. She started a series of Sunday readings in local cottages where attendances grew and funds raised enabled the employment of a scripture reader. She saw the need for a mission/reading room and managed to raise £400 with help from Lord Denbigh and a builder William Satchwell, who had built many prominent town houses near to Rugby School. On the 16th March 1860 the countries first rural reading room was completed. The walls were hung with maps, pictures and bookcases and was designed to be a general reading room for the whole parish and was also available for lectures, public meetings and Bible classes. The building was conveyed to The Country Towns Mission Society on the 15th October 1860 by Louisa Daniell who went on to build 2 others, one in Hillmorton and the other in Shanklin I.O.W. The position of a full time missionary ceased in 1926. From 1928 Pailton resident Mr Frank Hamilton (9 Rugby Road) worked with the Sunday School and mission for the following 50 years and is remembered by generations of village families. A social event in the 'mission' in 1978 marked the beginning of its new use as a Village Hall. In 1980 the new Parish Council Chairman, Peter Saywell, secured a loan for the purchase of the hall with the official opening on the 19th September 1980 by 'Betty' The Countess of Denbigh. Also in that year a trust was set up which continues to manage and maintain the hall for mixed community uses."

SOURCE - Village historical marker

Year of construction: 1860 Full inscription: Reading Room Erected 1860 Cross-listed waymark: Not listed

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