HERTFORD UNITED REFORMED CHURCH

The United Reformed Church was founded in October 1972 by union of the Congregational Church in England and Wales and the Presbyterian Church of England. However not all the churches belonging to these two denominations agreed to accept the 1972 Scheme of Union. The records of those Hertfordshire churches which remained separate are catalogued under the reference NC.

CLASSIFICATION SCHEME

NR14/1 Church Books

NR14/2 Church Meeting

NR14/3 Deacons

NR14/4 Registers

NR14/5 Church Committees and Organizations

NR14/6 Church Finance

NR14/7 Church Property

NR14/8 Sunday School

NR14/10 Membership

NR14/13 Miscellaneous

UNITED REFORMED CHURCH RECORDS

NR1 Barnet, Wood Street United Reformed Church

NR2 Bushey United Reformed Church

NR3 Barley United Reformed Church

NR4 St Albans, Trinity United Reformed Church

NR5 Letchworth Free Church

NR6 Ware United Reformed Church

NR7 Royston United Reformed Church

NR8 Hitchin United Reformed Church

NR9 Radlett United Reformed Church

NR10 Wheathampstead United Reformed Church

NR11 Hemel Hempstead, Adeyfield Free Church (affiliated to the United Reformed Church

NR12 Bishops Stortford United Reformed Church

NR13 Harpenden United Reformed Church

NR14 Hertford United Reformed Church

NR15 New Barnet United Reformed Church

NR16 Knebworth United Reformed Church

<span class="wrapper"><p>W Urwick, Non-Conformity in Hertfordshire (London 1884)</p> <p>L. Turnor, History of Hertford (Hertford 1830)</p> <p>For Walkern United Reformed Church see D/EX838</p></span>

• <corpname>Hertford United Reformed Church, Hertford, Hertfordshire</corpname>
• <corpname>Hertford Congregational Church, Hertford, Hertfordshire</corpname>

Records concerning Hertford United Reformed Church deposited in the Record Office on 3 December 1986 by the Minister.

Accession 2238

Introduction

There is some disagreement as to when the Independent Chapel in Hertford was first established. Turnor says that the first chapel was built not long after 1616 when the first congregational churches were established. Urwick, however, puts the date at 1673, the date of the first church book. The church, however, did not call its first pastor, Mr William Haworth, until 1673. They worshipped in a building in South Street almost opposite Christ's Hospital. There were also two subsidiary chapels licensed for worship in Castle St and St Andrews St in members' homes.

The church had a very close link with the congregation at Hitchin (see NR8) until 1721 when the church at Hitchin split off after doctrinal differences. Until then the pastor at Hertford was responsible for the congregation at Hitchin, he went to preach to them once a month and the Hitchin congregation were expected to come to Hertford for Holy Communion. Occasionally, the two congregations met half way at Bragbury End. As well as the congregation at Hertford there were 15 members at Hitchin, 11 at Offley, 5 at Preston, 4 at Ippolitts, 2 at Ickleford, 2 at Baldock, 2 at Graveley, 3 at Kings Walden, 1 at Lilley, 2 at Cockernhoe, 7 in Bedfordshire, 5 in or near London, 1 at Welwyn and 1 at Ware.

In 1796 the Congregational Church sold the site in South St to Christs Hospital and moved to the present site on Cowbridge. A new chapel was built with sittings for 500 people. In 1862 the old chapel was replaced with a new church with sittings for 500 people at a cost of £3000.

In 1971 Hertford Congregational Church became Hertford United Reformed Church.