The early days - Rodenhurst Road (1942-1945)
During the difficult days of WWII Margaret Barbour and Vera Hawkins lived in London and met regularly to pray. They felt God calling them to buy and furnish a house to use for His purposes. Looking back many years later Vera wrote:
“God spoke to us very clearly... saying that we were to buy one of these houses now standing empty… Buy a house in that part of London, where houses were nightly being bombed to the ground! What could be more stupid, and where was the money coming from? What did God want it for anyway?”
In 1942 The Woodlands House of Prayer Trust (WHoP) was set up with gifts and loans, and a house was purchased in Rodenhurst Road, Clapham. The charity was founded with the mission statement ‘Given to Hospitality’ (Romans 12:13). The object of the charity was to establish and maintain ‘a home for the purpose of affording the means of physical and spiritual help to those in need of rest.’
When Vera and Margaret bought the house they were not completely clear how God would use the property, or what form the ministry would take, but they rapidly found that God sent people to them – initially people needing extra care after a time in hospital, and people who needed temporary accommodation as they had been bombed out.
During the early wartime years in Rodenhurst Road visitors typically stayed for a maximum of 3 months, contributing a modest amount as individual finances allowed. Those staying longer than two weeks were responsible for cleaning their own rooms and were asked to contribute some of their soap ration for general cleaning!
About a month before D-Day and a whole year before VE Day, Margaret and Vera felt God speaking to them again:
“We were walking home from church and pondering on God's goodness when the inward voice began to stir up our thinking again. We were shown the need for a post war home out of London, by the sea, where the war-weary could find peace and renewal. Many needed a chance to regain the faith that had been shaken by strain, and often by the loss of loved ones and homes.
“Such an idea had never previously entered our heads, but God had already shown us that we must not set aside any thought that came from Him. Rather we must test it, and continue to pray and plan under His guidance. We already knew that where He guides He provides. Although the future was so very insecure, with no end to hostilities in view, we personally felt that the future was secure, otherwise God would not be leading us in such a way.
They began to look in Eastbourne as Margaret had led Christian holiday parties there before the war, and Vera knew people in the area.
Post war - Eastbourne (1945-1963)
At the end of WWII the Rodenhurst Road property was sold and WHoP moved to Eastbourne. Eventually operating out of three properties: initially 1-4 and later 5-8 Queen’s Gardens and a house in College Road which was used as an old people’s home. The resident team was supplemented by foreign and English students who helped out in the busy holiday periods. Visitors in financial need could stay free of charge.
A visit to the seaside was a real treat for people living amidst the bomb sites and smogs of 1950s London, and so Queen's Gardens quickly became a popular place to visit. The ministry flourished with times of daily fellowship and local ministers being invited to give regular evening 'epilogues' and many people came to a new or renewed faith.
above right: Vera Hawkins and Margaret Barbour
left: Queen's Gardens, Eastbourne
By the 1960s Eastbourne had got a reputation as a resort for older people, and Woodlands House of Prayer were keen to welcome younger people and families too. The town had also got very busy, and Queen's Gardens although close to the seafront had no garden, parking was tricky and the house was not the peaceful place of Vera and Margaret's early vision.
Margaret, Vera and the trustees decided that it was time to start looking for a new home.
A cross-country move - Brunel Manor (1963-2021)
Woodlands House of Prayer moved to Brunel Manor in Torquay at Easter 1963, opening for their first house party at Whitsun in early May.
It must have felt a little like reaching the Promised Land for the team and guests as they took in the view from the terrace at Brunel Manor, and revelled in the peace of the woodland surrounding the house.
Maurice Hastings (son-in-law to Vera) was appointed as the first Warden of Woodlands – Brunel Manor. He and his wife Wendy lived on site for the majority of their time at Brunel Manor, and worked tirelessly to make the place habitable, installing mains drainage, repairing the roof, installing washbasins and heating upstairs, new boilers and so on. Margaret Barbour died in 1963 just before the move to Torquay, but Vera Hawkins continued living and working at Brunel Manor until her death in the late 1990s. Even after officially retiring she would sit in the chapel on 'changeover' days and welcome guests by name with the words - "I've been praying for you".
Brunel Manor continued to welcome guests for nearly sixty years, hosting countless church weekends away, conferences run by the in-house team and by other Christian organisations, or just providing a tranquil space for a private getaway.
A time of transition (2020-2023)
Sadly the long lockdowns of the covid pandemic coming on top of a difficult few years forced the closure of Brunel Manor in its historic form in 2020. After much prayer and reflection in the spring of 2020 the trustees took the difficult decision to sell the estate. None of us expected the lockdowns and disruption of 2020 and early 2021 - but God can use all situations to further his purposes! The trustees and remaining team members made good use of the enforced stop to review and reimagine Woodlands House of Prayer for the future.
New beginnings - Hopeswood (2023 and beyond)
After searching unsuccessfully for a new home for nearly two years, and praying long and hard, we decided in late 2022 to use our resources to support Lee Abbey, a charity with many similarities to Woodlands House of Prayer. We also decided we needed to update the everyday name of the charity and chose the name Hopeswood .