I AM NOT DARK GREY AND DO NOT NEED A KEY.
This has been placed with kind permission of the Water Lane United Reformed Church.
At gz you'll see the cache, but what do you have to do? Think about it but please do not force anything. You will need a tool, what that tool is is for you to work out. Once opened you should had a 💡 moment, again don't be heavy handed the container will undo easily. Please have fun and enjoy this cache.
The history of Bishop's Stortford's United Reformed Church (URC) dates back to 1662 and the Act of Uniformity, with the founding of an Independent congregation. The church evolved through various names, including Congregational Chapel, before merging with the Presbyterian Church in 1972 to form the present-day United Reformed Church. The current building was constructed in 1860 and later enlarged, serving the community as a place of worship for over a century.
Early Years and Independent Roots (1662-1730)
- 1662: The fellowship began following the Act of Uniformity,which led to the ejection of John Payne from his living at St. Michael's.
- 1689: The Act of Tolerationlegitimized the formation of Independent and Presbyterian congregations.
- 1706: The Independents first met in a barn.
- 1717: The barn was purchased and converted into their first Meeting House.
- 1730: The trust deed officially makes the first mention of Congregationalism.
Building a New Church (1767-1860)
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1767:
The old Meeting House was demolished to make way for a new, brick-built replacement.
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1858:
The church required repairs and a decision was made to replace it with a new building.
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1860:
The new, imposing building was erected and opened, designed by Poulton and Woodman,featuring a distinctive double-apse plan and two towers.
Becoming the URC (1972 onwards)
- 1972: The Congregational Churchin England and Wales, along with the Presbyterian Church of England, merged to form the United Reformed Church.
- 1984-1985: A hall was added to the south-east side of the building.
- 2000: An expansive welcome area and meeting space was created within the church building.
Architectural and Social History
- The current building is a prominent landmark with a distinctive ovoid shape.
- The church's associated hall, built in 1915, served as the Congregational Sunday School and later the URC Hall, becoming a popular and valuable community space before its eventual demolition as part of the Old River Lane redevelopment scheme.
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There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page that can be found at
http://www.15ddv.me.uk/geo/cm/index.html
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