Welcome to the Kingswood Benefice. We are made up of 5 village parishes in rural North Hertfordshire. They are Clothall, Rushden, Sandon, Wallington and Weston. Please click on the individual churches below to find more information about service times etc.
View benefice homepageAn active church with regular services and a welcoming congregation, it continues to serve the village in all seasons. As well as our twice monthly services, we hold special seasonal services, and welcome a number of couples to celebrate their weddings with us.
All Saints is easily spotted due to its distinctive tower buttresses (17th century) which are now purely decorative as they are no longer required to support the tower – but where would we be without them? The church stands in an elevated position above village green, hall and the pond and was originally started in the mid-14th century (1348) prior to the Black Death. Work stopped during the pestilence and was restarted nearer to the end of that century and gradually added to in the subsequent centuries with major restoration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of note are the ten 15th century pews at the back of church with their distinctive poppy head finials (lovely to look at – murder to sit on!) the 17th century pulpit and the glorious 15th century chancel screen. Everything seems to work into an harmonious all-embracing whole with further delights wherever you look. A recent addition to the churchyard is a memorial to all who served in the Great War.
The parish of Sandon is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of St.Albans’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.</span>
As you come up the steep hill into picturesque Rushden from Mill End you do not immediately spy the church. However,upon entering the heart of the village the church is suddenly there, perched on <its own little hill and surrounded by its churchyard – flowing around the church like green skirts around a stately lady. The neat little porch with its stone benches is always a welcome haven from heat or cold and beautifully decorated for major seasonal services. The Tower with its six bells is 15th Century but most of the church was rebuilt in the late 1800s and early 1900s and the lowered roof makes the church feel snug and friendly as if it wants you to rest there and be comfortable. Clear glass windows allow light to flood into the simple interior and the trees through the great window above the main altar create a constantly changing image of the turning seasons for those who attend the church. It has a faithful and welcoming congregation who love to sing and often enjoy a wine and cheese moment after celebrating evensong.
A simple church and yet also simply lovely!
The parish of Rushden is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of St.Albans’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.</span>
Nestled in a fold of low hills just slightly to the South – East of the ancient market town of Baldock lies the small village of Clothall. On one of the hills, and discernible from the A507, you can see this small church surrounded by trees. In times gone by it would have been a clear landmark for those travelling between Baldock and Buntingford guiding the weary traveller on their way. The path to the church is steep and on gaining the porch it is worth turning to look at the surrounding views. Just pushing open the great old wooden door and stepping down into the church creates a feeling of timelessness as the oldest parts of the church date from the 13th century with the font being earlier and most of the church 14th &15th century and you feel as if time has stood still in this quietly atmospheric place. The beautiful windows, which have rare depictions of birds, can be seen around the church and the old box pews invite the visitor to sit in quiet comfortable security and to be at peace. It has a growing and lively congregation which spans toddlers to nonagenarians – so all are welcome.
The parish of Clothall is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of St.Albans’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.
Nestled away on a hilltop above the main village and surrounded by trees lies this welcoming hidden gem. It is well sized church for a small village with a light airy feel being well lit by large clear windows down the east side of the church. The nave is mostly 14th and 15th C with some wonderfully old and venerable pews near the six belled tower. The lady chapel is a nook full of old tombs and a wonderfully peaceful place to stand. This is the church in which the author George Orwell was first married whilst he lived in the village and there is an nteresting and well worth visiting display of his time in Wallington. The church was visited by the BBC’s Songs of Praise to look at an unopen suitcase from the Great War that had been kept by the family since its return after the death of the young solider from the village. From the church there are many walks that take in the spectacular views from this isolate crop of the Chiltern Hills and it is a frequent stopover place for weary walkers who can rest in its cool embracing interior.
The parish of Wallington is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of St.Albans’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.
Tucked down one end of the village of Weston lies Holy Trinity church. By road is seems as if you are right on the edge of the village but when you walk down the leafy pathways from inside the village it takes no time at all to come into the lovely peaceful churchyard, a favourite walk for many. The oldest part of the church is the north transept with its high deep 12th C windows that give a glimpse of what the church must have been like all those years ago. The main part of the church has been added to, repaired and reordered many times over the centuries but is still an harmonious whole. It has a wide central area which is light and airy (and with perfect acoustics), a stately organ, modern choir stalls, a beautiful baptistry and a quiet serene chancel and high altar decorated by curtesy of the Cherry family. Its flexible seating means that it can host a variety of occasions. The church has services in a variety of traditions so there is always a welcome here whether you like the traditional style or the more relaxed all age worship. Don’t forget to read the legend of Jack ‘O Legs in the porch and find his grave by the gates!
The parish of Weston is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of St.Albans’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.