Builders vehicle.

The old saying about time flying by still catches us out a bit. I say that, because if someone asked me just how long a building had been empty for, I would struggle to give a correct time scale.

Nestling a couple of hundred yards from the parish church of St Mary’s stood a religious building, without a towering steeple.

The case in point was the former Full Gospel chapel (built in 1937) that stood for about 60 years opposite the entrance to Duck street. The porch and new entrance was added in 1986.

Early stages of work.

Local builder Mr Tom Swindall, who was based in Wentworth Road, had the task of building the original site at 69 Wellingborough Road, in 1937.

Back in the day, it would have sat nearly opposite the Rushden Adult school, this was pulled down, after it had stood empty for a few years. After several complaints by local residents, about the state of the building, demolition took place of that circa the mid 1970s.

Taking shape.

When the former South End School moved to Wymington Road in 1968 the old school in High Street South eventually became the new home of the church in 2001.

For a time Mr Middleton had made his home in the old church, about 2002, but after his death it had been vacated, and stood empty until 2026.

Looking from the front of 69 Wellingborough Road, it is pretty hard to imagine that around nine people are going to be living in that space.

On the go.

Giving the impression that it is a sort of TARDIS of a building.

Side view of building.

No doubt avid fans of Dr Who will know what lines I am thinking about. This was a fictional hybrid time machine, and space craft. (It stood for Time And Relative Dimention In Space), and used the unlikely limited space of an old fashioned Police box.

Finishing touches.

Dr Who first appeared on our TV screens back in 1963, with the actor William Hartnell playing the lead role, on the BBC.

This article was written in the late spring of 2026, and it was during this time that the first residents moved in.

We can all keep an eye on the weather locally, whatever the time of year, by going to

http://www.rushden-weather.co.uk/