Parish History

A HISTORY OF ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, SQUIRRELS HEATH

All Saints Chapel

On August 5^th 1884, the picturesque hamlet of Squirrels Heath with a population of three hundred was the scene of unwonted stir and animation, that being the day set apart for the dedication of All Saints’ chapel, a pretty and effective little structure which had been erected on a site generously given by Mr. Alfred Savill on the corner of what are now Squirrels Heath Lane and Upper Brentwood Road, where Squirrels Court now stands.

Under the fostering care of the Vicar of St. Edward’s, the Rev. Canon Hitchcock, services had for some time past been held on Sunday evenings in the Factory Schoolroom in Factory Road (now Elvet Avenue) and were, in the main, conducted, in turn, by three of four laymen from St. Edward’s. (The Schoolroom was not really like a church as it was the result of knocking two cottages together into one building.) The services gaining in popularity, the want of a larger and more convenient room was increasingly felt as time went on and accordingly the Vicar, with his usual enterprise, determined to launch the project of a new building. His first appeal, made in the summer of the previous year, met with a very cordial response and it was soon made clear that he would have no difficulty in raising a sum sufficient to meet the cost of the erection of a chapel which should be an ornament to the place and at the same time one worthy of the sacred uses to which it would be devoted. The entire cost of the structure, including the conveyance of the land, drainage, etc., was Ł370. Many gifts were given towards the furnishings of the Chapel which was completely furnished at the cost of Ł125. This included the putting down of iron fencing which enclosed the Chapel.

All Saints Chapel 1884

The building, which was of wood on a foundation of brickwork, was designed by Mr. R. N. Spier, of Culdees Castle, Perthshire, and of Berkeley Towers, Gloucestershire and the contract was given to Messrs. H. and G. Knight of Berkeley, Gloucestershire. It consisted of a nave and chancel and accommodated 150 persons, the dimensions of the nave being 50 feet by 23 feet and the chancel 16 feet square. It was entered at the west end through a porch, on either side of which, curtained off from the nave, was a small vestry and it was lighted by a series of domestic Tudor windows north and south and one window at each end. The high pitched roof was covered with tiles and, internally, the walls plastered down to the dado. The building was warmed by a Portway’s tortoise slow-combustion stove; seating was oak benches in the chancel and chairs in the nave, there was an oak lectern which also served as a pulpit and a stone font. The nave was fitted up with gas brackets, whilst the chancel was adorned with corona-pendant. Altogether, both externally and internally, the appearance was well calculated to favourably impress the visitor. The new chapel was affiliated to the mother church of St. Edward’s at Romford and, in addition to Sunday evening services, it was proposed once a month to hold a morning service with celebration of Holy Communion, conducted by clergy of the Parish of St. Edward’s. The Bishop of Colchester assisted by the Vicar and local clergy conducted the dedication services.

The Factory Schoolroom was retained as the Church Hall.

At All Saints’ Chapel on May 9^th 1892 a service of an unusually bright and hearty nature was held, the occasion being the opening of a vestry room which had been added to the church, through the instrumentality of the Rev. A.R.T. Eales, the esteemed curate, who had already done much to add to the interior beauty of the fabric.

The Local Area Changes

This typical Essex village situated in the midst of richly wooded parkland and verdant meadows was one of the most beautiful spots in the country. The sale and development of large estates on every hand had gone far to change its rural aspect but, fortunately, the change had been effected with the least possible injury to its natural beauty. With its advantages of an elevated situation, its fresh and bracing air, driven in across the marshes from the mouth of the Thames, its dry healthy soil of gravel and the advantages offered by the garden suburb, the neighbourhood rapidly became one of the most popular residential districts this side of London.

For some time it had been realised that All Saints’ Church built to accommodate 150 people was totally inadequate to meet the needs of the district which now had a population of over 3000. The growth of the Railway and easy travel to London from Squirrels Heath via Gidea Park Station (opened in 1910) contributed to this rapid growth in population.

In the Autumn of 1912, under the direction of the Vicar and the Church-wardens of St. Edward’s, a building committee was formed to carry out the enlargement of the present fabric on permanent lines. The Committee determined not to proceed with the enlargement until at least Ł500 was subscribed or fully guaranteed. This amount was realised on Easter Day 1914. The cost of the new scheme, whereby, by the addition of two aisles to the present nave, to provide accommodation for 300 worshippers was Ł800. The Rev. G. N. Bell was the Vicar of St. Edward’s, Romford and he appointed the Rev. H.B. Curtis to be the first Priest in Charge of Squirrels Heath.

The Formation of the Parish

In 1923 the Rev. Richard Knight, M.A., after a very interesting career was appointed Priest in Charge and by his devotion to duty, charm of manner and readiness to help, soon endeared himself to everyone in the parish, and to him, more than anyone individually, we owe the formation of All Saints’ district into a separate parish. In July 1926 the Rev. M. Peters M.A. a Cornishman, the first candidate ordained by the first Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr. Watts-Ditchfield, after serving curacies in Leytonstone, Walthamstow and Southend-on-Sea, was appointed the first Vicar of All Saints’, Squirrels Heath.

One of his first duties was to commence the building of a new parochial hall and operations in connection with this building were commenced in January 1927. The exterior dimensions were: length 75ft., width 30 ft., and height 10ft. to the eaves and 25ft. to the apex of the roof. The structure was of steel framing encased in brickwork and comprised a hall to seat 250 roughly people, exclusive of the platform. There was a small kitchen and artists room as well as two sets of cloakrooms and lavatories at the entrances. The whole was lit by electricity. The entire cost of the land, building and furniture was Ł1680,

The hall was opened on May 19^th 1927 and the first function was a Sale of Work which was held in the afternoon. The Vicar, during the proceedings, called upon Archdeacon Bayne to open the Sale and at the same time dedicate the Parochial Hall. In an opening statement the Vicar outlined the history of the Hall, saying that he was told that as soon as he came to the parish a hall was needed and then showing how, step by step, progress was made beginning with the idea and the plans for a wooden building and then proceeding, through the kindness of Messrs. Bailey and Goates, who sent in such low estimates to the present spacious and substantial brick hall. It was no exaggeration to say that it was the generosity of these good friends, who made it possible for them to consider the erection of a brick building. The Vicar then received another surprise. Mr. J.J. Crowe, who had been asked to design the hall and had supervised the building, told him that he wished to make a present of his fee to the parish, thus there was effected a saving of hundreds of pounds on the building and nearly Ł100 on architects fees.

In September 1927 the Vicar received a generous gift from a lady and gentleman who wished to remain anonymous, with which to start a building fund for the new hall on the Gidea Park site.

The Mission Hall of St. Michael, Gidea Park, became an accomplished fact on 6^th October 1928. This Church set among trees, on an excellent site overlooking the golf links, is very delightfully designed and is worthy of its beautiful surroundings. This was built at a cost of Ł1455, while another Ł1000 was paid for the land and Ł965 was spent on furnishing and equipment.

The room in Factory Road (now Elvet Avenue), which for many years was the only place available for the social life of the parish has, since the building of the Parochial Hall, become a burden rather than an asset to the parish, the Parochial Church Council decided, therefore, to relinquish the tenancy in November 1928.

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