History of St Stephen's Bells Hill
ORIGINS
St Stephen’s was built as a mission church, to replaced a barn which had been used as a burial chapel for the cemetery which had been consecrated in 1895 by The Rt. Rev. John Wogan, Bishop of St Albans. The church was consecrated in 1896 and named St Stephen’s Mission Church, it was partly funded from the Chancel Estate which was a bequest of James Ravenscroft, who built the Alms Houses in Wood Street Barnet in 1680.
During the 1930s and 1940 the services followed very high church practices and many of the congregation left and formed what was later to become Chesterfield Road United Reformed Church.(URC) This style, however, was ended one Sunday soon after the Second World War by a directive from the Rector of Barnet, and the statues, vestments, candlesticks, tabernacle, thurible etc. were removed.
St Stephen’s was licensed for marriages in 1923, but remained part of the Chipping Barnet Parish until 1983 when the Chipping Barnet Team Ministry was created and it became a parish in its own right with its own District Church Council. This Team now has four churches St John the Baptist Chipping Barnet, St Peter’s Arkley, St Mark’s Barnet Vale, and St Stephen’s.
In 1970 the church was reordered and a new East window was installed. In 1987 a new vicarage was built beyond the car park at the west end of the church.
Two years later a road was constructed between the church and the burial ground giving vehicles access to both The Vicarage and Cantelowe House (the then newly erected sheltered accommodation and residential home.) At this point an entrance to the church from the new road was created. Although the late Victorian red brick building does not have the picturesque attraction of some of our older churches, inside, the chairs, instead of pews, make for a flexible worshiping environment and the friendly and peaceful atmosphere together with the beautiful stained glass window of the risen Christ all contribute to giving this sacred space a feeling of tranquillity, warmth and welcome.
LOCAL HOUSING
Population over 6000
Terraced housing from turn of the century
1930 semidetached maisonettes and flats built
Between 1918 and 1939 and immediately post WW2 Council housing many now privately owned
Recently 3 & 4 bedroom houses built
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS
1896 Consecration of St Stephen’s Church
1940 A Parachute Mine dropped on Bells Hill: 17 killed; 31 injured
1983 Chipping Barnet Team created
1989/90 New Road built between the church and the burial ground
Things to look for
12th Century Font
War Memorial
Cross
Pictures
Stained glass window
Organ
Notice board
What strikes you most about coming into this church?
Think of one important thing have you learnt during this visit.
St Stephen’s was built as a mission church, to replaced a barn which had been used as a burial chapel for the cemetery which had been consecrated in 1895 by The Rt. Rev. John Wogan, Bishop of St Albans. The church was consecrated in 1896 and named St Stephen’s Mission Church, it was partly funded from the Chancel Estate which was a bequest of James Ravenscroft, who built the Alms Houses in Wood Street Barnet in 1680.
During the 1930s and 1940 the services followed very high church practices and many of the congregation left and formed what was later to become Chesterfield Road United Reformed Church.(URC) This style, however, was ended one Sunday soon after the Second World War by a directive from the Rector of Barnet, and the statues, vestments, candlesticks, tabernacle, thurible etc. were removed.
St Stephen’s was licensed for marriages in 1923, but remained part of the Chipping Barnet Parish until 1983 when the Chipping Barnet Team Ministry was created and it became a parish in its own right with its own District Church Council. This Team now has four churches St John the Baptist Chipping Barnet, St Peter’s Arkley, St Mark’s Barnet Vale, and St Stephen’s.
In 1970 the church was reordered and a new East window was installed. In 1987 a new vicarage was built beyond the car park at the west end of the church.
Two years later a road was constructed between the church and the burial ground giving vehicles access to both The Vicarage and Cantelowe House (the then newly erected sheltered accommodation and residential home.) At this point an entrance to the church from the new road was created. Although the late Victorian red brick building does not have the picturesque attraction of some of our older churches, inside, the chairs, instead of pews, make for a flexible worshiping environment and the friendly and peaceful atmosphere together with the beautiful stained glass window of the risen Christ all contribute to giving this sacred space a feeling of tranquillity, warmth and welcome.
LOCAL HOUSING
Population over 6000
Terraced housing from turn of the century
1930 semidetached maisonettes and flats built
Between 1918 and 1939 and immediately post WW2 Council housing many now privately owned
Recently 3 & 4 bedroom houses built
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS
1896 Consecration of St Stephen’s Church
1940 A Parachute Mine dropped on Bells Hill: 17 killed; 31 injured
1983 Chipping Barnet Team created
1989/90 New Road built between the church and the burial ground
Things to look for
12th Century Font
War Memorial
Cross
Pictures
Stained glass window
- What pictures can you see in it?
- How many different pictures are there in the window?
- What does it tell you about the Christian faith?
Organ
Notice board
- What are the three different sections?
- Which of the notices do you find most interesting and why?
What strikes you most about coming into this church?
Think of one important thing have you learnt during this visit.
