In 1921 the Gallowtree Gate Congregational Church in Leicester, which stood where Boots now stands, closed after being there since 1823.Leicester was expanding rapidly at the time with new suburbs being built especially to the East and West of the City. Thus it was that the Leicester Congregational Council planned the building of. two new Churches in the eastern and western suburbs from the proceeds of sale of Gallowtree Gate. The one in the East known initially as Humberstone Congregational Church but soon to be known as Abbots Road was opened on the 31st October 1929,the original building being what is now the Church hall. Early in the following year 32 people under the leadership of Rev Frank Mitchell covenanted together to form the first membership.

 

In the following years ,despite the problems of the war years and a few other issues, the fellowship grew steadily, reaching a peak membership of 142 in 1970.The mother Church of Leicester Congregationalism was closed in 1966 and because that Church and Abbots Road shared a minister, Rev Basil Bridge, the compensation money paid by the City Council following the demolition of Bond Street was used to build the present Church, which opened on 25th May 1968,having been designed by a Church member, Derek Hood, an architect by profession.

 

 

In 1974 the Church became the Abbots Road United Reformed Church, having joined the new denomination which was created in 1972 through a merger of the Congregational and English Presbyterian Churches. The Churches of Christ joined in 1981.

 

The fellowship is now made up of four congregations, which were formerly independent, namely Abbots Road, Evington Road, Laburnum Road and Thurnby & Bushby.