St Nicholas Church, Harpenden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Nicholas Church, Harpenden |
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St Nicholas Church, Harpenden
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. Nicholas |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Harpenden |
| Diocese | St Albans |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Nicholas Church in Harpenden is a very old church that belongs to the Church of England. It is a special building, listed as Grade II*, which means it's important for its history and looks.
Contents
About St Nicholas Church
History of the Church
St Nicholas Church is the oldest church we know of in Harpenden. It was first built around 1217. Back then, it was a "Chapel-of-Ease." This means it was a smaller church for people who lived far from the main parish church.
Later, in 1470, the church was made bigger. A tall tower was added at this time. The old church building was taken down in 1861 to build an even larger one. This new church could hold more people.
The tower has eight bells that ring together. The oldest bell was made in 1612. Imagine how many times it has rung over the centuries!
For a long time, Harpenden was part of a bigger church area called Wheathampstead. But from the Middle Ages, Harpenden was its own "civil parish." This meant it had its own local leaders. In 1859, Harpenden finally became its own church parish. Just three years later, in 1862, the church was rebuilt again. This was because more and more people were coming to church.
Other Churches in the Parish
St Nicholas Church is the main church for the Parish of Harpenden St Nicholas. This parish is part of the Diocese of St Albans.
There are also two "daughter churches" that belong to this parish. They are All Saints Church and St Mary's Church. All Saints is on Station Road in Batford. St Mary's is on the north side of Harpenden.
These daughter churches have their own committees. They can make some of their own decisions. They also have their own special ways of holding church services.
Famous People Buried Here
Many interesting people are buried at St Nicholas Church. Some of them are:
- Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy (1847–1923): A spy, buried under a different name.
- Joseph Henry Gilbert (1817–1901): A famous chemist.
- John Bennet Lawes (1814–1900): A scientist who studied farming.
- Eric Morecambe (1926–1984): A very well-known comedian and entertainer. His ashes are here.
- Edward John Russell (1872–1965): Another scientist who studied farming.
- Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962): A talented artist.
- Katherine Warington (1897–1993): A botanist, someone who studies plants.
See also
