Little church in what is now Coopers Green Lane

Trying to find its name and where the records might be held.
By Keith Mardell

My late parents always were proud of the fact that I was allegedly the last child to be baptised at this church before it was demolished due to continued vandalism. I've searched the internet to no avail and even spoken to the records department at County Hall with very little success. It is difficult explaining to them that Coopers Green Lane was at one time called Sandpit Lane (I know this because as a child my family and I lived there). I also know for a fact that the little church stood on a triangle of land in Coopers Green Lane (then Sandpit Lane) at the junction of the road that leads up to Suttons and Fairfolds Farms. Surely someone, somewhere must know the name of the church and possibly where I can find the records. My best guess is that the church was demolished in the late 1940's because I went to St.Johns primary school in Lemsford from 1946 and have a very vague recollection of seeing the ruins on my way to school.

If anyone can help me in my quest I would be extremely grateful.

This page was added by Keith Mardell on 29/10/2011.

Comments about this page

The pre-WWII maps at http://www.old-maps.co.uk show a building called Mission Room in that triangle of land. HTH.

By Alan Smith
On 31/10/2011

The various editions of the 25 inch OS maps show that the Mission Room was built after 1879 and before 1898, and is also on the 1923-24 and 1937-39 maps. It may not have had a dedication.

By Isobel Thompson
On 01/11/2011

I think this might be what is called the 'Chiswell Green Mission Room' shown in Fig 6 in 'Hatfield & its people' Book 7, Churches (Hatfield WEA, 1961, p18-19): it was built in 1890 to serve Cooper's Green, Astwick, Simonshide and area. After 8 years it was replaced by another building paid for by Lord Salisbury, and was in use until the 1930s.

By Isobel Thompson
On 01/11/2011

It seems strange that a church serving communities beyond the north east of the City should be named after an area to the south, with the City intervening.

By Roger Miles
On 14/11/2011

Dr Thompson has confirmed to me that the original does say "Chiswell Green" and she assumed that it was an error for "Coopers Green".

By Brian Bending
On 14/11/2011

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