A   meeting   was   held   on   l7th   October   1869   when   it   was   resolved   to   build   a   Chapel   of   Ease   at   Croxley Green   and   to   make   application   for   a   site   to   the   Master   and   Fellows   of   Gonville   and   Caius   College, Cambridge,   the   Lords   of   the   Manor.   Many   meetings   followed   and   eventually   it   was   agreed   to   build   a church   at   the   south   end   of   the   Green.   The   Church   Commissioners   paid   the   sum   of   six   pounds   for   a triangular   piece   of   land,   so   shaped   by   the   turnpike   road   from   Watford   to   Rickmansworth   and   the   road to Sarratt. Plans   of   the   Church   with   seating   for   260   were   prepared   by   Mr.   Norton   of   London:   They   were approved   and   the   contract   for   the   building   was   given   to   Mr.   Samuel   Clarke   of   Bath   for   the   sum   of £2,318.3 s.Od. No allowance for fencing the site or for heating the church was included. The   district   (parish)   assigned   to   the   church,   considered   to   have   a   population   of   1000,   was   described as   being   bounded   to   the   west   by   a   line   drawn   along   the   top   of   Scots   Hill   extending   towards   Chandlers Cross,   then   to   the   River   Gad   (Gade)   following   the   same   stream   to   the   Lock   at   Cassio   and   back   to   the starting point. A   row   of   cottages   (Berean   Cottages)   stood   in   front   of   the   church:   it   was   contemplated   that   they   would be   demolished,   but   in   fact   they   remained   for   some   time.   It   was   not   until   the   late   1920's   that   they became vacant and were demolished, to be replaced by the Parish Hall, opened in November 1932. The   foundation   stone   of   the   church   was   laid   by   the   Right   Hon.   Lord   Ebury   at   4pm   on   Tuesday, September   27th,   1870.   For   the   ceremony   a   temporary   staging   was   provided   and   decorated   with evergreens.   The   "West   Herts   and   Watford   Observer"   for   Saturday,   (October   1st,   1870   reports   as follows:   "   Others   present   were   the   Hon   Miss   Grosvenor,   The   Earl   and   Countess   of   Essex,   The   Hon. Mrs.   Wellesley,   W   .   Jones   Lloyd   and   Mrs   Lloyd,   H.   C   .   Finch   Esq,   T.H.Woods   Esq,   Colonel   Brooke, W.Capel Esq, A.J.Copeland Esq, Dr Croft and many other Ladies and Gentlemen. The   Rickmansworth   Choir   having   taken   their   places,   the   clergy   led   by   the   Revd.   A.H.Barker,   vicar   of Rickmansworth   took   their   place   and   the   service   commenced   with   the   Hymn   "Lord   of   Hosts   to Thee   we raise   here   a   house   of   Prayer   and   Praise."   Prayers   followed   and   the   132nd   Psalm   was   chanted   by   the Choir. The   vicar   then   said   "The   Glorious   Majesty   of   the   Lord   be   upon   us,   Prosper   thou   the   work   of   our hands".   Lord   Ebury,   then   advanced   to   lay   the   stone   and   was   presented   with   a   Silver   trowel   suitably engraved.   He   then   gave   an   address   which   was   followed   by   the   hymn   'All   people   that   on   Earth   do dwell".   A   collection   was   made   and   the   assembly   dismissed   with   a   Blessing.   The   collection   amounted to £33, already subscribed is £2,200." The   architecture   of   the   church   was   described   as   "   Early   English   or   First   pointed   Gothic."   The   nave was   to   be   63   feet   long   and   25   feet   wide   and   40   feet   high:   the   chancel   30   feet   long   and   25   feet   wide. A small tower surmounted by a spire was to be 83 feet high. The   consecration   of   the   church   took   place   on   June   25th   1872.   The   service   was   conducted   by   the Bishop   of   Rochester,   Thomas   Legh   Claughton,   because   at   that   time   the   church   was   in   the   Diocese   of Rochester.   (When   the   Diocese   of   St.   Albans   was   formed   in   1877,   Thomas   Legh   Claughton   was appointed   the   First   Bishop   of   St. Albans.)   So   many   clergy   attended   that   they   had   to   robe   in   a   cottage opposite   the   church.   They   then   entered   the   church   and   the   processional   hymn   was   number   242 Ancient   &   Modern,   "O   word   of   God   above".   The   Bishop   gave   a   sermon.   The   hymn   "We   love   this place"   was   sung.   A   collection   took   place   which   realised   £47.   14s   Od.   Afterwards   communion   was celebrated,   the   service   being   led   by   the   Bishop.   The   Revd.   Astley   Roberts;   previously   Curate   of   St Mary's, was appointed Vicar. More   information   about   those   early   days   has   come   into   our   possession.   The   first   item   shows   that   a Vestry   Committee   was   formed   and   the   first   meeting   took   place   on April   l5th   1873.   It   continued   to   meet annually, and still precedes our Annual General Meeting to this day. For   34   years   this   building   served   the   village   well   but   with   the   growth   of   John   Dickinson's   paper   mill, the    local    population    increased    and    the    church    became    very    crowded    and    uncomfortable.    On September    l3th    1906,    the    vicar    and    churchwardens    called    for    a    meeting    which    took    place    on September   20th   to   discuss   plans   for   enlarging   the   church.   The   vicar,   Revd.   C.E.Donnell   and   the churchwardens   Mr.C.Barton-Smith,   Mr   E.Ormerod   and   some   50   members   of   the   congregation   agreed to proceed. Mr.Temple-Moor,   an   architect   from   London   was   asked   if   he   would   produce   a   design,   he   submitted three   plans,   one   of   which   was   to   duplicate   the   present   church   on   the   south   side;   this   was   accepted   in April   1907. As   can   be   seen.   Each   half   is   on   a   different   level   -   unique,   but   over   the   years   it   has   caused some   problems.   Costs   are   a   little   vague   but   would   appear   to   have   been   in   the   region   of   £3,000.   The decision   seems   to   have   been   an   economic   one,   for   quite   obviously   the   parish   was   not   that   wealthy and   to   raise   the   money   would   take   some   effort.   However,   after   the   contract   had   been   placed   in August 1907   with   S.   Sherwin   builders,   Boston,   Lincolnshire   to   build   the   extension,   many   alterations   were made to the specification and they were able to reduce the cost to £2,788. An   appeal   for   money   had   been   launched   and   by   November   1907   the   firm   had   reached   £2,765.11s.1 ld.   Work   commenced   almost   immediately   and   whilst   work   was   underway,   services   were   held   in   the Girls'   school   in Yorke   Road. The   new   nave   was   furnished   with   chairs   -   200   supplied   by   Messrs   James Holland   of   High   Wycombe   at   3/IOd   each.   They   were   fitted   with   wooden   pegs   instead   of   hooks   as hooks   were   liable   to   catch   the   dresses   of   the   ladies.   The   final   cost   would   appear   to   have   been approximately   £3,198.   The   new   nave   and   chancel   were   consecrated   on   Saturday,   May   23rd   1908,   by the Right Revd. Frank Johnson, Bishop of Colchester. The   then   vicar   Revd.   E.   Wells,   had   been   advised   by   the   Bishop   to   form   an   elected   Parochial   Church Council. A   meeting   took   place   on   June   25th,   1913,   and   it   was   agreed   that   steps   be   taken   to   put   this   in motion.   The   first   meeting   took   place   on   June   25th   1914,   the   forty   second   anniversary   of   the   Church and five years before it became a legal obligation. Life   in   the   Parish   carried   on   through   the   First   World   War   and   the   list   of   those   who   had   fallen   began   to grow.   The   War   finally   ended   in   November   1918.   The   life   of   the   church   continued   through   the   years   of depression,   the   General   Strike,   the   Abdication,   Coronation   of   George   VI   until   World   War   Two.   Then on    September    25th    1940    at    9.35pm    the    East    end    of    the    church    was    severely    damaged    by    a parachute   mine;   the   tower,   roof,   organ,   pulpit   and   the   Lady   Chapel   all   suffered   serious   damage.   The damage   was   estimated   at   £13,000   excluding   that   done   to   the   organ   and   boiler.   Temporary   repairs took   nearly   a   year,   during   which   time   services   were   held   in   the   church   hall.   Because   of   constant delays   in   obtaining   the   money   from   the   War   Damages   Commission,   it   was   nearly   the   end   of   1952 before   the   church   was   fully   restored   and   was   hallowed   by   the   Lord   Bishop   of   St   Albans   on   Sunday January 18th 1953.