A new Anglican church

When the non-conformist Bunyan’s Chapel was opened in 1877 - a building specifically dedicated to worship - there was a reaction from the Anglican community. The religious ”census” of 1886 indicated that 36 of the 70 Preston families who had a religious preference were “Church”. Following an approach by the vicar of St Mary’s, land owner Ralston de Vins Pryor offered an acre of ground for the building of a new church and burial ground, provided enough funds could be raised to build it.

A folded contributions card was produced in August 1898 to record gifts. On its front page were listed the fund’s committee: Rev Canon Hensley, Rev B. N. Switzer, F.O. MacMillan, Mrs MacMillan, Mrs Darton, English Harrison, R. de V.  Pryor, and W. O. Times. There were fund raising activities like the concert organised by Frederick Armstrong of Preston Hill Farm which raised £11. The parish magazine charted the fund’s progress: it is ‘a matter for much congratulation that the inhabitants of Preston and their immediate friends have been instrumental in raising £500’.

By January 1899 the church fund had reached almost £800. A design for the church was submitted which was costed at £1,200. The shortfall was quickly made up and on 11 November 1899 (St Martin’s Day) the foundation stone was laid by Mrs MacMillan, a resident of Temple Dinsley.

In January 1862, there was a news report in the Hertfordshire Mercury of a death at the church: ‘An awful case of sudden death occurred on Sunday morning last at Preston Church, near this town. Miss Cook, (Mary, aged 35) daughter of Mr John Cook, farmer of Hill End Farm, accompanied by her sister-in-law and other relatives attended the morning service at Preston, a village a short distance from her residence, when shortly after she had entered the church she fell forwards and was taken up a corpse. An inquest was held on Monday before Mr C Times Esq. coroner for this district of the county, when a verdict was returned - “Died from apoplexy”’.

In 1849, the Lord of the Manor, Thomas Darton, financed the construction of  Preston Charity School - a rather austere and plain brick building at what became known as School Lane. From 1850 this new edifice of education doubled as a  School  on weekdays and a makeshift church on Sundays. This was no doubt seen as a means of keeping contact with the mother church, St Mary’s of Hitchin. It required a special licence to perform a divine service in the school room which was granted by George, Lord Bishop of Rochester on 27 June 1850.

Services were held here by a curate from St Mary’s. There was a gallery at the west end of the church for the segregated household and staff of Temple Dinsley.  This was perhaps a visible reminder of the belief that the Lord had provided a place for everyone and it was their duty to stay there.

Top

Home page

Religion

Bunyan’s

Chapel

Site contents

Sources - Hertfordshire Mercury - by kind permission of the Hertfordshire Mercury; Preston religious census 1886 - by kind permission of Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies (Ref - DP 53/3/9)

Site map

Letters and news - 1898