St Mary, Bayford
Welcome
St Mary's church is located on the northern side of the village of Bayford (see map). Services are usually held at St Mary's on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month. Full details of services in the Group.
People
| Churchwardens: | Mr T Hayne. Telephone 01992 511219 |
| Mr G Gay. Telephone 01992 465304 | |
| PCC Secretary: | Mrs J Mentern. Telephone 01992 511220 |
| Treasurer: | Mrs E Gay. Telephone 01992 465304 |
| Organist: | Mrs V Haryott. Telephone 01992 511575 |
History
Prior to 1867, Bayford was one parish with Essendon though separated geographically by the parish of Little Berkhamsted. There was certainly a Chapel in Bayford before 1366 when the inhabitants petitioned the Bishop of Lincoln concerning the difficulties of transporting bodies for burial at Essendon. Floods meant it was frequently impossible to negotiate the stream on the parish boundary with Little Berkhamsted. The Bishop was sympathetic and the chapel at Bayford was licensed to enable the dead to be buried there. A plain brick church was built in 1804 to replace the previous chapel, and following independence from Essendon this church was replaced by the present grander building faced with Kentish ragstone which was built in front of the old church and consecrated in 1871. The church retains memorials from both of the previous churches.