For more than 1,000 years St Stephen's church has served the Christian community. According to the thirteenth century monk and chronicler Matthew Paris, the parishes of St Michael's, St Peter's and St Stephen's were created at the behest of Ulsinus, the sixth abbot of St Albans Abbey in AD948. The abbot also directed that a church be built in each parish. The precise date for Ulsinus's rule is not known, though a mid-ninth century date is widely accepted. However, sufficient physical evidence remains 'locked-into' the structure of the church to confirm a late Anglo-Saxon date in the tenth century.
Tenth Century The Anglo-Saxon building was approximately 34 feet wide by 38 feet long and was probably divided into two interconnected rooms. The larger of the two rooms acted as the nave and the other the chancel. Consistent with other Anglo-Saxon churches, it is unlikely there would have been a tower. It is from this simple building that the present day structure has developed over ten centuries of adaptation and alteration.
Twelfth Century About 50 years after the Norman conquest of 1066, the church was enlarged during the abbacy of Richard de Albini. The new building was consecrated by Gilbert, Bishop of Limerick. From documentary evidence it would appear that a north aisle was added about 1170 whilst Robert de Gorham was abbot. The new structure was dedicated by Ralph, Bishop of Durham. However excavations carried out in the 1960s failed to find any physical evidence of its existence.
Thirteenth Century The Lady Chapel was constructed in 1220 during the rule of abbot William of Trumpington. Shortly afterwards a south aisle was added.
Fourteenth Century In 1320 the two eastern bays of the south aisle were remodelled in the 'decorated' style.
Fifteenth Century During the middle of the fifteenth century many works took place. A belfry was formed over the western bay of the south arcade. The height of the walls of the nave were increased and windows inserted at high level to allow more light to penetrate the interior of the church. This window feature is known as a "clerestory". The chancel was enlarged and the wooden framework of the chancel arch dates from this time.
Nineteenth Century By 1840 the church was in an advanced state of disrepair and a parish vestry meeting (a group of people responsible for the governance of parish matters) voted that St Stephen's be demolished. It was resolved that a new church be built "in a more populous part of the parish" using the materials of the old church. The following month the decision to demolish St Stephen's was reversed and agreement was reached to build a 'chapel of ease' at Park Street. This was completed in 1842 using new materials, financed primarily by public subscription. In 1859 the parish boundaries were redrawn and the chapel of ease was rededicated as the Holy Trinity Church of Frogmore.
St Stephen's Church before the alterations in 1860
St Stephen's was again in need of extensive repair by 1857. The celebrated architect Mr George Gilbert Scott was appointed. Sir George Gilbert Scott, as he was later to become, commenced work in 1860.These works were extensive and included the replacement of the pews, stonework repairs and refurbishment of the east window. The most visible change was the replacement of the squat bell cote and small 'Hertfordshire spike' with a large wooden steeple. The bell cote cladding and spike were removed and replaced with a shingle covered steeple supported by the underlying fifteenth century structure.
Twentieth Century By 1913 the steeple and supporting framework were in need of urgent maintenance and repair. The spire was re-shingled and steel girders were inserted to take the weight off the old oak beams. The total cost of the works was £356 8s 6d.
The Parish Centre
At the beginning of the 1960s the wall between chancel and Lady Chapel was removed and replaced by a square-headed arch. In the course of this work a mediaeval squint was destroyed along with some of the decorative work undertaken in 1860.
In 1989 work began on building the parish centre to the north of the church. Access to the centre was made by inserting a door in the 'blocked' Norman arch and opening to an enclosed link corridor connecting the two buildings. The centre was dedicated on September 2 , 1991 by the Bishop of St Albans, The Right Reverend John Taylor MA. In 1992 the centre received a St Albans Civic Society Award for its sympathetic design.
St Stephen’s bells
The first written mention of St Stephen’s bells was in
1300 when, as the Abbey chronicler Thomas Walsingham relates, Robert of
Winchelsea, the Archbishop of Canterbury wrote to the Abbot saying that he
wanted to visit St Albans and stay in the
Abbey.The Archbishop expected that St Stephen’s bells would
be rung to mark his arrival on the outskirts of St Albans.
As they were not, he placed St Stephen’s under an interdict. The Abbot said
that St Stephen’s was under his jurisdiction and the Archbishop had no
authority over it so the interdict was ignored and people at St Stephen’s,
carried on ‘ringing, celebrating and doing everything that they should’.
Up to the beginning of the nineteenth century, the church
had just four bells
In 1803, the bells were recast into a ring of six by Thomas
Mears of Whitechapel at a cost of £145-12-5 plus £3-2-6 for taking the old
bells to London
and the same amount for bringing the new bells back. This was paid for out of
the rates. In 1892, they were made into a heavier ring, by adding a new tenor
bell and recasting the old fourth. This was funded by a bequest and followed
advice from Lord Grimthorpe that the tower could accommodate a heavier ring. By
1915, it was apparent that this was not the case. Modifications were made to
the frame but they did not solve the problems. When ringing re-started after
the second world war, the tower moved considerably and the weathercock on top
of the spire went round in circles whenever the bells were rung. As a result, it was decided to recast the
bells into the current lighter ring in 1957.
Ringing at St
Stephen’s
Up until the end of the nineteenth century, bells were not
rung for services, but local ringers were paid to ring on special occasions.
Payment could take the form of cash or beer and was an important supplement to
low wages. In the eighteenth century, St Stephen’schurchwardens’ minute books for 1742 onwards
mention payments to the ringers for about five ‘ringing days’ each year at a
rate of six shillings and eightpence per day. Later, after the fee had risen,
the ringers were paid 10 shillings to ring on August 12 1817 for the Prince
Regent’s birthday, a further 10 shillings for November 5 and the same sum on
February 2 1818 for the Queen’s birthday.
The practice of ringing for Sunday services did not become
firmly established at St Stephen’s until well into the twentieth century, as it
was impeded by concerns about the safety of the tower. After the bells were
recast in 1957, a new band was started, and regular ringing has continued ever
since.
An invitation to ring
with us at St Stephen’s
The band is keen to attract new members, either beginners or
people who have rung before, to join us in this enjoyable activity. If you are
interested, please contact Stephanie Willcocks 01727 865897, email stephanie_willcocks@yahoo.co.uk
or Hilary Heine 01727 838658, email hjheine@googlemail.com
Further information
about the history of bells and ringing at St Stephen’s
A booklet ‘The bells of St Stephen’s’ is on sale in the
church or contact Alison Macfarlane 01727 852111 Alison.Macfarlane@lineone.net
For more than 1,000 years St Stephen's church has served the Christian community. According to the thirteenth century monk and chronicler Matthew Paris, the parishes of St Michael's, St Peter's and St Stephen's were created at the behest of Ulsinus, the sixth abbot of St Albans Abbey in AD948. The abbot also directed that a church be built in each parish. The precise date for Ulsinus's rule is not known, though a mid-ninth century date is widely accepted. However, sufficient physical evidence remains 'locked-into' the structure of the church to confirm a late Anglo-Saxon date in the tenth century. 
