Cobbs Hill Methodist Church Bermuda
The church is located at Cobbs Hill in Bermuda's Warwick parish, and so the name. The church is part of Bermuda's
African Diaspora Heritage Trail and still reflects the old memories of slavery in Bermuda. In 1800s, the slaves and the free blacks realized that they didn't have a place for worship of their own. Most of the churches allowed only whites and few with separate backdoor entries for the blacks.
Black Bermudians became active supporters of the Methodism ever since missionary Rev. John Stephenson came to the Island in 1799 and was jailed the following year for preaching to the slaves.
Edward Fraser, a slave from Barbados arrived in the island in 1818 and soon became the leader of a congregation in Warwick. On his continuous persuasion, Chief Justice of Bermuda Hon. James Christie Esten released a piece of land in Warwick to build the church.
Photo: Cobbs Hill Methodist Church
This one room place of worship was built block by block by the slaves and the free blacks, and completed in 1827 after two years of rigorous work. Bermuda stones were used from the local quarries to build the church. Most of the work was done during their free time at night.
The lane on which the church is located has been named Moonlight Lane since much of the work was done under moonlight. It is today the oldest Methodist building existing in Bermuda.
Fraser was the main enthusiast behind the work. He used to encourage the slaves to work together. He was freed a year after the church was built and became a Methodist missionary travelling to places like England and West Indies.
Inside the church the main church room is simple, red carpet laid on the floor and rows of seats on either side with the passage in the middle leading to the raised dais. A door behind leads to kids room/ conference room. There is a small grave yard in the premises on a grassy lawn (on the right as you enter the gate). There are several graves, only 2 have names.
Today, the congregation of the church comprises of many descendants from the slaves who built the church. The church is open for Sunday Service at 9.30am. All are welcome.
Location and Contacts
Cobbs Hill Methodist Church is located on Moonlight Lane off Cobbs Hill Road, Warwick Parish.
Address: 6 Moonlight Lane, Warwick, Bermuda. Phone: 441/236-8586
Get into Cobbs Hill Road from Middle Road or Ord Road, Warwick. It's a short walk from Middle road stop. Bus #8 operates along Middle Road between Hamilton and Dockyard. Bus #2 operates along Ord Road between Hamilton and Paget.
Road Map
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 By Raj Bhattacharya
Raj, a seasoned travel writer and Bermuda destination expert, has extensive global travel experience. This website reflects his profound insights, garnered over nearly two decades of dedicated findings and research on the island. Raj has assisted countless Bermuda-bound visitors by providing direct, personalized responses to their queries and imparting his wealth of knowledge through this platform. This site serves as an indispensable guide for those seeking informed and reliable insights into Bermuda's treasures.
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Related Articles
1) Check out
Bermuda Churches to know about the other great churches in Bermuda.
2) Check out
African Diaspora to know about other landmarks in this heritage trail of Bermuda where the legacy of slavery has been captured.
3) Check out
Warwick Bermuda to find out other great attractions in the parish.
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