The story of Clay Hill Parish, Enfield
St John the Baptist built in 1857. It is a small Gothic
building designed by J
Piers St Aubyn and
decorated with banded
red and blue bricks
inside and out to copy
the Venetian style and
has impressive stained
glass windows all
around.
St Luke the Evangelist a more urban red brick daughter
church of St John’s built
in 1899. It is a large
brick building with
stone facings in the
Early English style,
designed by James
Brookes. The red brick
interior of the church is
lifted by a beautiful
wall painting at the
east end as well as impressive stained glass above the high
altar.
The parish of Clay Hill comprises of two churches
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St John’s church opens for worship
Our story starts in 1856 when the Rev
John Heath Moore, vicar of St Andrews,
Enfield, bought land at the top of Clay
Hill for a new chapel.
In 1857 he built St John’s Church
It opened for worship on 10th November 1858
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Rev John Heath Moore
St John’s church consecrated
Rev George Viner
appointed curate
1863
St John’s
consecrated 31st July
1865
1867
St John’s parish created
Rev George Viner
appointed vicar
St John’s vicarage built in
Strayfield Road.
Gas Lighting installed in church.
Hunter organ purchased
1876
Rev George Minns
appointed vicar.
Pews and terracotta
reredos installed
1880
Rev James Moody
appointed vicar
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St John’s Vicarage
St John’s parish opens St Luke’s iron church
1888
St John’s primary
school built
Rev Stephen Campbell
appointed vicar.
Parish hall opened
1885
Rev Marmaduke Hare
appointed vicar.
West wall foundations
replaced.
St Luke’s Iron Church
opened 17th December.
Mothers’ meetings started
1889
1890
Clay Hill parish
magazine started
Second hand
harmonium bought for
St Luke’s iron church
1891
Rev Robert Gill
appointed vicar.
New heating installed
in St John’s
Brigadier House sold
where St Luke’s
church now stands
1893
Rev Beresford Potter
appointed vicar
St Luke’s infant
school opened
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St Luke’s Iron Church
St Luke’s infant school
St John’s Primary School
1894
Iron parish room built
in Hawthorn Grove
1895
Rev Vincent Travers
Macy appointed vicar
Rev Vincent Travers Macy
bought land for
St Luke’s church
1896
Eagle lectern presented
to St John’s church.
Parish hall built next to
St john’s school
Foundation stone laid for
parish Institute.
Laid in April
opened in November.
1898
St Luke’s church
foundation stone laid by
Bishop of Islington
St John’s vicar buys land for St Luke’s church
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Rev Macy
Rev & Mrs Macy
St John’s original interior
St Luke’s Church is built and the parish created
1899
Rev Dr Robert Brandon
appointed vicar of St John’s
Church Lads Brigade started
1899
St Luke’s parish created
St Luke’s church opened.
Rev Vincent Travers Macy
appointed vicar.
ST JOHN’S PARISH
ST LUKE’S PARISH
1900
Mothers’ Union started
1901
St Luke’s vicarage built
in Browning Road
1906
St Luke’s enlarged to its present size.
St Luke’s organ built by Bishop and Sons.
Rev James Carter appointed vicar
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St Luke’s Parish Created
St Luke’s church first phase
Rev Macy
St Luke’s enlarged
St Luke’s vicarage 1901
St Luke’s interior 1900
ST JOHN’S PARISH
1908
Rev Bridgeman Lethbridge
appointed vicar
1910
Railway extended to
Cuffley with stations at
Gordon Hill and Crews Hill
1910
Lavender Road
School opened
1913
6th Enfield scouts started
at Chase Farm School
1914 - 1918
88 parishioners from
St John’s and St Luke’s
killed on active service
1915
Rev Rosslyn Webb Odell
appointed vicar
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ST LUKE’S PARISH
Rev Bridgeman
Lethbridge
Lavender School
St Luke’s
war memorial
St John’s
war memorial
Parishioners Killed in The Great War
1919
Parochial Church
Council Formed
1919
St Luke’s infant
school closed
1920’s
New heating
installed
New communion rails
purchased and organ
overhauled
1922
1926
Harold B Critchley
appointed vicar
1926
Chime of eight bells
installed at St John’s.
9th Enfield scouts started
ST JOHN’S PARISH
ST LUKE’S PARISH
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1929
St Luke’s Players
amateur drama group formed
12th Enfield scouts started
St Luke’s infant school
Rev Harold B Critchley
St John’s bells
St John’s Church is improved
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ST JOHN’S PARISH
ST LUKE’S PARISH
1930
Lych gate was
dedicated
1930’s
Choir stall fronts installed
Church Lads Brigade closed
Expansion of housing in the parish
bungalows built at Crews Hill
1930’s
Expansion of housing at the
north end of Browning Road,
Morley Hill and Kilvington Drive.
And in Phipps Hatch Lane, Baker
Street and Burnham Close
1932
9th Enfield scouts
disbanded
St John’s church 1830’s
1933
6th Enfield scouts disabanded
at Chase Farm school.
New coal fired heating boiler
installed
1935
Rev Frank Pond appointed vicar.
6th Enfield scout group started.
Rev George Johnson appointed vicar.
Missionary Committee formed.
Rev Frank Pond
1935
Police telephone box erected by the
lych gate - subsequently moved
nearer the “Fallow Buck” pub.
1936
Rev Henry Scott
appointed vicar
1936
Brownies and Guides started
Electricity installed in small hut
in Hawthorn Grove by
St Luke’s Sports Club
Rev Henry Scott
Expansion of housing in the parishes
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1938
Rev Ralph Goodwin
appointed vicar
Rev Ralph Goodwin
Windows in St John’s
damaged by blast from
a flying bomb that
exploded in Gordon Hill
1939/45
ARP used the small hall in Hawthorn Grove.
Iron railings arround St Luke’s removed as
part of scrap metal drive.
Scouts “dig for victory” in vicarage garden
1939 - 45
Scouts dig for victory
1940
Rev Ralph Goodwin took over as
group scout master of 6th Enfield
Tolmers scout camp opened at
Cuffley - used by Cubs and Scouts
from St Luke’s
1941
Scouts installed indoor
toilets in small hall in
Hawthorn Grove.
1946
Electric lighting in St
Luke’s vestry and organ
blower installed
9th Enfield scouts
reformed
1946
ST JOHN’S PARISH
ST LUKE’S PARISH
World War II - Scouts “Dig for victory”
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1947
St Luke’s Players disbanded
and the Waverly Theatre club
formed.
Top floor of St Luke’s vicarage
into a flat for a curate
Rev Ralph Baldry
appointed vicar
1947
War memorial plaque installed
Electric lighting installed
Electric blower installed for
organ
1949
1949
Re-tiling of St Luke’s roof completed
First World War memorial moved to its
present location.
Lady Chapel altar rails installed
as memorial to those who died in WWII.
1948
Waverly Theatre Club
returned to performing
in St Luke’s Institute.
ST LUKE’S PARISH
ST JOHN’S PARISH
Waverly Theatre Group
1950
1950
Children’s corner
created
South-west corner of Vicarage under-pinned
Most of Vicarage garden sold.
Stations of the Cross dedicated by Bishop of Willesden.
Young Wives group formed.
Entertainments Committee formed
St Luke’s Avenue built on
vicarage garden
St Luke’s vicarage garden sold for housing
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ST JOHN’S PARISH
Vicars field next to St
John’s used as a cycle race
track by the Clay Hill Aces
Speedway team
1950 - 52
Rev Ben Ross
appointed vicar
Choir vestry built
1952
Oak panelling installed behind
altar to commemorate the
coronation of Queen Elizabeth
1953
1951
Electric lighting installed in
main part of St Luke’s church.
New coke fired heating boiler
installed
York mystery plays.
1952
Rev Francis Bale
appointed vicar
Rev Ben Ross
Rev Francis Bale
1956
Special service held
as part of the
“Mission to London”
ST LUKE’S PARISH
1958
Rev Michael Shearman
appointed vicar.
Automatic oil fired
boiler installed
St Luke’s Youth Club started
Rev Michael Shearman
1959
Special service held to
celebrate 60 years of
St Luke’s
Late 1950’s
Clayesmore House
used by Rev Ben Ross as
St John’s vicarage
Clayesmore House
1957
Centenary celebrated with
special service and garden party.
Bus bought to take
parishioners to St John’s Church –
it was named ‘Gabriel’
Bus Gabriel
1950’s a very busy decade - St John’s Centenary
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Fete and garden party
held at Bramley House,
to raise money to
replace ‘Gabriel’ bus.
New bus bought for £700
1960
Oak panelling extended
along both sides of nave
and organ restored
1961
Exhibition of church
kneelers
1966
Memorial window to
Elizabeth Ross installed
1969
1961
St Luke’s Youth Club started
to meet in the coffee bar
of the Institute in Morley Hill.
1966
Experimental use of
a nave altar
1967
New chapel was built at
Chase Farm Hospital.
Vicar of St Luke’s
was hospital chaplain
1968
The Macy Memorial
Garden started
1969
‘Stewardship Programme’ launched
The Lancastrian Theatre Club formed
and met in the Small Hall in Hawthorn Grove
.Name of the Institute changed to ‘
St Luke’s Youth Centre’.
Noah’s Ark youth club started in coffee bar,
ST LUKE’S PARISH
ST JOHN’S PARISH
Chase Farm Hospital Chapel
St Luke’s Youth Club
Chase Farm Hopital chapel built
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ST JOHN’S PARISH
St John’s school extended
1970’s
1970’s
St. George’s Chapel converted to a refectory
area for refreshments after services.
A scheme of ‘Road Stewards’ operated.
Annual ‘elder parishioners parties’ organised
Nave altar platform area used for concerts.
1971
1973
1974-75
ST LUKE’S PARISH
1975
1976
1978
‘Luke Alive’
exhibition held
to celebrate
70th anniversary
of St Luke’s
Organ
restored
and pipes
decorated
Altar temporarily
moved to west end
during the
construction of the
permanent nave
altar
Nave altar
dedicated by
Bishop of
Edmonton
Vicarage suffered serious
subsidence after very dry
summer and sold
92 Browning Road
became Vicarage
Nave altar dedicated by Bishop
Organ pipes decorated
Browning Road
Vicarage
1970’s a decade of change in St Luke’s
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ST LUKE’S PARISH
World War II
memorial installed
1980’s
St John’s vicarage sold
and 14 Kilvinton Drive
purchased as new vicarage
1981
Rev Stephen Knight
appointed vicar.
New gas heaters installed
1983
Youth Club re-started
Last “Gabriel” church bus sold.
1984
Rev John Noddings
appointed vicar
1986
ST JOHN’S PARISH
1981
Church spire restored.
1982
Church struck by lightning
– damage to roof timbers at
east end over the refectory
1983
Celebration of 25th
anniversary
of induction of
Rev Michael Shearman
Rev John Noddings
St Luke’s Spire
Restored
ST LUKE’S PARISH
Michael Shearman retires John Noddings arrives
Click on any image to enlarge
1987
ST JOHN’S AND ST LUKE’S
COMBINED INTO NEW
PARISH OF CLAY HILL
Rev John Noddings
Vicar of Clay Hill
ST JOHN’S CHURCH
ST LUKE’S CHURCH
1987
ST LUKE’S CHURCH
Noah’s Ark’ Youth
Club closed
and Youth Centre
reverted
to being Clay Hill
Parish Centre
1988
1990
Organ restored.
Flower festival held
ST JOHN’S CHURCH
St John’s lych gate repaired
after damage by a falling
tree in a winter storm.
Spirelet restored
.
1992
Rev Elaine Jones
appointed curate
to the parish
1990
St John’s and St Luke’s united into one parish
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ST JOHN’S CHURCH
1993
1994 - 98
1996
1998
1999
1999 - 2000
Altar reredos was restored
and repainted
New gas-fired heating
boiler installed
Lancastrian Theatre
Club performed several
plays in church
using the nave altar
platform
Church spire was
restored again
Glass screens
installed around
the Lady Chapel and
the refectory area
Exhibition held to
celebrate the
centenary of St Luke’s
ST LUKE’S CHURCH
Altar Reredos
Centenery Exhibition
1990’s improvements to St Luke’s
Click on any image to enlarge
Jean Price Memorial
Hall completed
2000
ST LUKE’S CHURCH
2003
Rev Leslie Drake appointed
vicar of Clay Hill parish
2005
2006
2007
Church re-wired
ST JOHN’S CHURCH
Jazz band concert
held in church
Accessible toilet
installed
St John’s closed due to subsidence
causing dangerous cracks in the walls.
Pews removed during the
renovations.
St John’s hall taken over by
St John’s School
6th Enfield Scouts moved to
the Parish Centre halls.
St John’s closes for urgent works
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ST LUKE’S CHURCH
ST JOHN’S CHURCH
2008
St John’s church re-opened
after major repairs.
150th anniversary of
consecration celebrated
Small Hall in Hawthorn Grove sold.
Model railway exhibition
held in church,
Stations of the Cross re-gilded.
12th Enfield Scouts moved from St
Michael’s to St Luke’s
2010
Rev Dr. Edward Dowler
appointed vicar
of Clay Hill parish
2011
St John’s church re-dedicated
The nave altar platform was
removed from St Luke’s.
Fan-assisted gas heaters installed.
Choir stalls removed.
New chairs bought for Lady Chapel.
Choir vestry refurbished for meetings
2012- 13
New font installed,
Pews replaced by chairs
St John’s reopens and is re-dedicated
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ST JOHN’S CHURCH
2012
Cafe opened in refectory.
Furniture in nave re-arranged
with a new small altar and pews
facing in to centre of the church.
Food Bank collection point
established
2014 - 15
2015
2013
Nave Altar
6th Enfield Scouts merged with
13th Enfield Roman Catholic
Group to be 29th Enfield
Food Bank
ST LUKE’S CHURCH
Church used as winter
night shelter for local
homeless people.
Pipe organ restored
Preparing beds for night shelter
Major refurbishment of St Luke’s pipe organ
2016
Rev Dr Edward Dowler
Left the parish and was appointed
Archdeacon of Hastings.
The parish was in an interregnum
From July 2016 until
26th June 2017
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Rev Peter Godden
appointed vicar
of Clay Hill parish
June 2017
ST JOHN’S CHURCH
ST LUKE’S CHURCH
New Vicar Appointed
Licensing of Peter Godden by
the Bishop of Edmonton
26th June 2017
August St Luke’s
temporarily closed for
unsafe ceiling.
Re-opened December.
2017
2018
9th June 2018
St John’s Lych Gate
declared unsafe. Taken
down and stored. Fund-
raising begins for
reinstatement at an
estimated cost of £27,500
Autumn 2018
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ST JOHN’S CHURCH
ST LUKE’S CHURCH
Coronavirus Pandemic Closes All Places of Worship
Work starts on the
reinstatement of the
Lych Gate by Bakers of
Danbury
2019
April
November
Restored Lych Gate
re-dedicated by Rt Rev
Rob Wickham Bishop of
Edmonton
March 2020
Coronavirus Pandemic
Late March government
orders all places of
worship to close and the
population to stay at
home. The NHS is under
pressure and there are
many deaths. The parish
worships from home
Coronavirus Pandemic
June 2020 Government
allows the opening of
churches for private
prayer. St John’s and St
Luke’s open two days per
week for limited numbers
of people wishing to pray
in church
June 2020
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ST JOHN’S CHURCH
ST LUKE’S CHURCH
Coronavirus Pandemic Churches re-open for public
worship with restrictions
St John’s and St Luke’s
open for public worship
Worshipping from home
continues
July 2020
Rev Peter Godden
Left the parish and was
appointed to the parish of Monks
Risborough
The parish was in an interregnum
from May 2021
May 2021
All Corona virus
restrictions lifted.
worship in church can
continue as normal
July 2021
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ST JOHN’S CHURCH
ST LUKE’S CHURCH
Coronavirus Pandemic Churches open for public
July 19th Government removes all restrictions
July 2021
All Corona virus
restrictions lifted.
worship in church can
continue as normal
November 2021
Fr Jeremy Foot NSM
was licensed to the
parish
Jeremy Foot
Bishop Robert
Wickham Agrees the
Parish Profile.
Vacancy to be
advertised
November 2022
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ST JOHN’S CHURCH
ST LUKE’S CHURCH
New Vicar Appointed
Jeremy Foot
April 2023
Revd. Mthr. Mitzi James
appointed vicar of
Clay Hill Parish
11th June 2023 Mother Mitzi’s Installation
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ST JOHN’S CHURCH
ST LUKE’S CHURCH
Jeremy Foot
May Fayre 2024
Christmas 2023
Bubble Church Begins
Bubble Church Starts
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ST JOHN’S CHURCH
ST LUKE’S CHURCH
Jeremy Foot
Flower Festival 2024
13th November
Fr Jeremy Foot
Licensed as Honorary Associate Vicar
Fr Jeremy Foot Licensed as Honorary Associate Vicar