STEVENAGE METHODIST CIRCUIT

<span class="wrapper"><p>Hertfordshire Methodist Chapels</p> <p>Alphabetical list of chapels for which records have been received in the Record Office</p> <p>ALDENHAM NM7P</p> <p>ARKESDEN (Essex) NM9B</p> <p>ARLESEY Christchurch NM4D</p> <p>St John NM4N</p> <p>ASHWELL NM11C</p> <p>BALDOCK NM4U</p> <p>BARNET EAST Brookside NM1C</p> <p>BARNET HIGH NM1A</p> <p>BARNET NEW NM1B</p> <p>BENINGTON NM4E</p> <p>BERDEN (Essex) NM9C</p> <p>BERKHAMSTED Cowper Road NM3C</p> <p>High Street NM3E</p> <p>BIGGLESWADE (Bedfordshire) NM11A</p> <p>BISHOP'S STORTFORD NM9A</p> <p>BOREHAMWOOD NM1F</p> <p>BOXMOOR NM3H</p> <p>BURNT MILL (Essex) NM9D</p> <p>BUSHEY HEATH NM7N</p> <p>BUSHEY AND OXHEY NM7Q</p> <p>CHESHUNT NM10D</p> <p>CHORLEY WOOD NM7L</p> <p>CROXLEY GREEN NM7M</p> <p>CUPID GREEN (Hemel Hempstead) NM7H</p> <p>DASSELLS (Braughing) NM9G</p> <p>FLAMSTEAD NM2G</p> <p>Trowley Bottom NM2K</p> <p>GADDESDEN ROW NM2J</p> <p>GRAVELEY NM4F</p> <p>HARPENDEN High Street NM2B</p> <p>Batford NM2D</p> <p>Southdown Road NM2C</p> <p>Kinsbourne Green NM2A</p> <p>HATFIELD Birchwood NM5E</p> <p>Broadway NM5D</p> <p>Oxlease NM5F</p> <p>HEMEL HEMPSTEAD Marlowes NM3B</p> <p>Lower Marlow NM3D</p> <p>Wesley NM3F</p> <p>Bourne NM3H</p> <p>Cupid Green NM7H</p> <p>HENLOW (Bedfordshire) NM4V</p> <p>HERTFORD NM10A</p> <p>HINXWORTH NM11B</p> <p>HITCHIN Brand Street NM4A</p> <p>Nightingale Road NM4B</p> <p>Christchurch NM4C</p> <p>Walsworth NM4L</p> <p>ICKLEFORD NM4G</p> <p>KIMPTON NM2F</p> <p>KINSBOURNE GREEN (Harpenden) NM2A</p> <p>KNEBWORTH NM8A</p> <p>LANGLEY, ABBOTS NM7C</p> <p>LANGLEY, KINGS NM7G</p> <p>LETCHWORTH Broadway NM4P</p> <p>Central NM4Q</p> <p>North Avenue NM4R</p> <p>LEY HILL (Buckinghamshire) NM3K</p> <p>MARKYATE NM2H</p> <p>NASH MILLS NM3G</p> <p>OFFLEY NM4H</p> <p>PEGSDON NM4I</p> <p>PELHAM, FURNEUX NM9H</p> <p>PIRTON NM4J</p> <p>POTTERS BAR NM1D</p> <p>RADLETT NM1E</p> <p>REDBOURN NM5G</p> <p>RICKMANSWORTH High Street NM7E</p> <p>Mill End NM7F</p> <p>SAFFRON WALDEN (Essex) NM9F</p> <p>ST ALBANS Boundary Road NM5B</p> <p>Marlborough Road NM5A</p> <p>Hatfield Road NM5J</p> <p>SEWARDSTONE (Essex) NM10E</p> <p>SHEERING (Essex) NM9E</p> <p>SHENLEY NM5H</p> <p>SLEAPSHYDE NM5C</p> <p>STEVENAGE Old Town NM6A</p> <p>Chells NM6B</p> <p>Broadwater NM6C</p> <p>STOTFOLD (Befordshire) Brook Street NM4S</p> <p>High Street NM4T</p> <p>STUDHAM (Bedfordshire) NM2L</p> <p>TRING Langdon Street NM3J</p> <p>TROWLEY BOTTOM (Flamstead) NM2K</p> <p>TWO WATERS NM3A</p> <p>WALKERN NM4K</p> <p>WALSWORTH (Hitchin) NM4L</p> <p>WALTHAM ABBEY (Essex) NM10F</p> <p>WARE NM10B</p> <p>WARESIDE NM10C</p> <p>WATFORD North NM7B</p> <p>Queen's Road NM7A &amp; NM7J</p> <p>St Albans Road NM7I</p> <p>Vicarage Road NM7D</p> <p>Whippendell Road NM7K</p> <p>WELWYN Oaklands NM8B</p> <p>WESTON NM4M</p> <p>WHEATHAMPSTEAD The Mill NM5I</p> <p>The Folly NM2E</p> <p>WHETSTONE (Middlesex) NM1G</p></span>

Introduction

John Wesley notes in his Journal of 29 November 1790 that he preached in Stevenage at "Mrs Parker's". The first chapel was built shortly afterwards (see NM6A). By 1793 the society at Stevenage was attached to the St Neots Circuit. In 1810 on the formation of the Biggleswade Circuit Stevenage was transferred and remained part of that circuit until 1842. Surviving records of these two circuits are now held at the Bedfordshire Record Office, County Hall, Bedford, MK42 9AP.

Stevenage changed circuits once more, this time in 1842, to the newly constituted Hitchin Circuit. The society remained part of this circuit for more than 100 years (see NM4).

The growth of the New Town of Stevenage during the 1940s caused concern for the provision of Methodist teaching in the area. As early as 1946 a scheme was outlined for the formation of a Stevenage Mission separate from the Hitchin Circuit to include the Stevenage and Knebworth societies. The Mission was also to include the societies at Oaklands (Welwyn), Digswell and Burnham Green and from June 1960 Welwyn Garden City.

In 1969 a separate circuit centred on Welwyn Garden City was formed to include the churches at Welwyn Garden City, Knebworth, Oaklands and Digswell (see NM8). Records of the Knebworth and Oaklands societies are listed under that circuit (see NM8A and NM8B).

The Stevenage Methodist Team Ministry as it was renamed in 1969 comprised the churches of Stevenage Old Town (see NM6A), St Paul Broadwater, St John Chells [closed June 1985] and Pin Green Free Church.

In September 1993 the Stevenage Ministry and the Hitchin and Letchworth Circuit were combined to form a new North Hertfordshire Circuit. The records of the North Hertfordshire Circuit are listed separately (see NM12), but the records of the chapels of the old Stevenage Methodist Circuit after September 1993 will continue to be listed under NM6A-C.