Newchurch village was once covered in trees and part of the ancient Needwood Forest, it played host to two main hunting lodges, Yoxall Lodge and Byrkely Lodge which made it a popular hunting ground for the Kings of England. 

 

The former church, Christchurch Newchurch, now grade II listed, was built during the reign of George III, possibly round 1806 -1808. Constructed from red brick and ashlar stone dressings with a gabled and hipped Welsh slate roof, much like the design of Needwood Jubilee hall, we see today. 

The church had previously served as a chapel of ease for the residents of Tutbury, Hanbury, Yoxall and Tatenhill parishes. A new ecclesiastical parish was created in 1895, from which saw the additions of Barton-under-Needwood, Marchington, Marchington Woodlands, Newborough, Rangemore and Scropton. Prior to the construction of the Church of Holy Angels in 1874 Christchurch was given it's own parish, Hoar Cross with Newchurch.

Unfortunately Christchurch Newchurch was declared redundant and closed in 1998, where is was sold and became a private residence, however the community still has permitted access to the grave yard to pay their respects to those who are laid to rest there.

 

It is believed that the hall was built around a similar time as the church but there is limited information available to confirm this. The then school was put up for auction in June 1913 by the owner at the time, Sir William Bass, Bart of Byrkely estate. The Byrkely Estate sale auction catalogue gave a brief description of the building at the time, "The district school and house was known as Needwood School, Newchurch is a healthy site with a spacious playground, which has a school room of 26x 35ft, partitioned class room, coat lobby, three wash basins and five detached privies. The teachers house which is attached to the left of the building has a sitting room, kitchen, scullery, three bedrooms, good garden and a water supply" (Sowerby and Farman, 1995)

In April 1954 according to the conveyance a Peter Robin Hood Hastings Bass donated the school and school masters house to the Vicar and Church wardens of Newchurch to be used as a parish hall, benefiting the members of the Church of England. Then in 1988 the original school masters house was sold and became a private dwelling and it still is today.

Over the years with the closure of Christchurch and developments in the wider area the hall fell into a state of disrepair and support for the hall dwindled. However in 2001 passionate members of the parish reformed a management committee and began the journey of restoration. 

The hall received charitable statues and a lease was acquired from the Parochial Church Council of Hoar Cross with Newchurch under the Albermarle Scheme. The restoration project was largely funded by grants from Staffordshire County Council and could not have been made possible without the hard work and dedication from the committee members at the time, many of those whom still hold a seat on the committee today. Thanks to there passion and enthusiasm this characterful hall was preserved for the future generations. 

Finally the hall was renamed Needwood Jubilee Hall, as it reopened in 2002, the year of the Queens Golden Jubilee.