History

There are several books on the history of the Congregational Church in Steeple Bumpstead, and the Church building provides many clues as to who, what and how the Church has remained faithful to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Indeed the Church itself has been instrumental in maintaining its own history with booklets being written in both 1800 and 1900 detailing the comings and goings, the major events and activities of the Church, the rise and decline in membership and attendance (why would anyone today build a meeting place to house 400 people in a community of only 1500!)

But then Sunday School with 17 teachers had a bigger staff than today's primary school in the village! Perhaps staff to student ratios were a little different then!

The village and the Church are mentioned in Wesley's diary, they have mention in Parliament dispatches, our ministers were fined for not paying the education levy at the satrt of the 20th century, and the building was one of the first Christian meeting places to be damaged by bombs in the second world war! (which made the pages of the Times newspaper!!)

Our history goes further back than 1760 when worship started on the present site in a barn. At the time of the reformation a man named Butcher was martyred as a nonconformist but little is known of him. John Tibauld is much better known and is remembered in the street names in the village. He seems to have been a well to do man of Catholic faith (as were all at the time) but who, with a small band of 8 other persons got into trouble for meeting together in Bower Hall to read the New Testament and offer prayer. They were seized and taken prisoner to the then Bishop of London!

It was one of the copies of William Tyndales English translations of the New Testament that escaped the burning at St Paul's Cross London and found its way to Steeple Bumpstead. And this precious little book caused even more problems for immediately after the break with Rome, the Curate of Bumpstead Rev. Richard Fox, and 40 others were taken to London and tried and severely punished for meeting in a place other than Church to worship God.

And so through such tenacious beginnings a non-conformist church was started by the church warden and we can be thankful to so many who over the years, through ups and downs have seen the hand of our Lord on the work in this place.

This history could continue, for although the 1800 edition and 1900 editions of the centenary celebrations have been written, there sadly is no 2000 edition. With the changes in work patterns through the early parts of the last century and the wars that were attended by so many of the Bumpstead folk who would not see England lost, but who gave there lives in so doing, we have few of the people who can remember the middle and early years of the century.

If you would like to know more we would be pleased to help your researches and the visitors book can be used to send comments and details of what you would like to know.