Our sister church, St Mary’s, is a small 19th century gem at Childwickbury, worshipping in the Prayer Book tradition.

St Mary’s Childwickbury (AL3 6JJ) was built in 1867 to serve the agricultural estate at the north end of St Michael’s parish. Walking the 5 miles to and from St Michael’s twice each Sunday was felt to be unreasonable by the parishioners as they were expected to work as well, and so they petitioned the estate owner Henry Toulmin for their own church and school room. He and the Bishop of Rochester (there being no Diocese of St Albans at the time) agreed, and St Mary’s was built to a design by George Gilbert Scott. A later owner of the estate, Sir John Maple, beautified the church, revamped the manor house and built the famous Childwickbury Stud next door to the church. All were visited numerous times by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother who is said to have declared St Mary’s ‘quite lovely.’ Whether she stayed very often for evensong is not recorded. St Mary’s is a member of the Prayer Book Society, and offers worship according to the Book of Common Prayer every Sunday.

Attached to his church, Toulmin also built a schoolroom to educate his tenants and workers. This hall space is a thriving community hub throughout the week. St Mary’s is open every day between 9am and 5pm.