Welcome

Little Gaddesden Parish Church


St Peter and St Paul’s –
Church of England

We are lucky enough to be the custodians of a beautiful, ancient church, tucked away in the Hertfordshire countryside, in an idyllic setting – the quintessential English Village Parish Church.

Scroll down beyond the Notices or click the links if you’re new here or are looking to sign up to our mailing list.

The Church under the Northern Lights

Northern Lights over Little Gaddesden Church - Photo by Roger Robinson

This wonderful photo was taken by Roger Robinson of Ashridge Media (www.ashridgemedia.com), who has kindly let us reproduce it here.

Roger writes: “The photo was shot on Friday 10th May at 23:20 on a Sony A7IV (4) with a Sigma 24-70 Art Lens. It was a 10 x second exposure at F3.5 at 3200 ISO. While the shutter was open, I ‘light painted’ the church with a small torch. The depth and vibrancy of the colours are due to a long exposure, not post production.”

Notices


Calendar Changes

For a variety of reasons (technical, security and efficiency) we have consolidated the active calendar on the church website with the Weekly Services and Notices posts. Forthcoming events at Little Gaddesden Church can still be found in the Weekly Services and Notices posts on the News Page, and the latest post will also be set out in full on the Services Page and the Coming Up… Page. And don’t forget, each week’s post will be automatically emailed to you if you sign up to our mailing list.

Churchyard Biodiversity

Please visit our page on Churchyard Biodiversity and see the plan for increasing biodiversity in the churchyard.

Towards Net Zero

Little Gaddesden PCC is committed to a policy of Towards Net Zero – to reducing the carbon emissions produced by Church activities and is hoping to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.  To read more about how we’re planning to reach that goal, see our new Towards Net Zero page.

The Thomas Field Hall

Further details about the Thomas Field Hall, including a booking enquiries email address, are on The Thomas Field Hall page.

Letter to the Bishop of St Albans

In November 2024 the Archbishop of Canterbury (Right Rev Justin Welby) resigned as a result of personal criticism noted in the Makin Report which looked at historic abuse perpetrated by John Smyth in the UK initially and later in South Africa.

The church wardens on behalf of the PCC issued the attached letter to our Diocesan Bishop Allan Smith.

PCC-letter-Makin-Report-Dec-2024-WEB-VERSION

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Little Gaddesden Church Logo

The church of St Peter and St Paul, Little Gaddesden, has stood here for centuries and, just as it has always done, represents a beacon of hope and light in a world which isn’t always as we would like.

The congregation and community are thriving and full of life, so whether you’re a visitor or a new resident, you will always be welcome to our services. Our style of worship combines, we hope, the formal (delivered in a relaxed and friendly way) with opportunities for teaching and reflection.

Our principal Sunday service is Sung Holy Communion at 9:00 am most weeks – although on the second Sunday of the month we have an informal ‘Café Church’ service.

Children are always welcome. During school term time,  there are Sunday  School  activities for younger children, for part of the morning service. On the second Sunday, during Café Church, there is sometimes a separate teaching activity for the younger children.

On the first and third Sundays at 6:00pm there is usually an Evensong in Nettleden. Occasionally there are alternative evening services. Please see the Services page for details.

The church is open daily for private prayer and to light candles, should you so wish, and on most Thursday mornings there is quiet service of Holy Communion at 10:00 am.

On most Tuesdays from 10.30 till noon, coffee and delicious cake are offered, together with lively conversation, in The Thomas Field Hall.

The Churchyard is very important to our community. It is a place of respite for walkers and visitors to the church, who discover it to be very peaceful and tranquil. Not only is it a beautiful setting for just sitting and admiring the view, but it also provides the perfect place for people to come to remember their loved ones who are buried here, or whose ashes are interred here. For details about funerals, please first look here.

We welcome all those who would like to receive the sacrament of Holy Baptism, (Christening), and many couples are married here or have their marriage blessed. If you would like to know more about Holy Baptism (discussed briefly here), please contact the Vicar. For more details on weddings, in the first instance please go to the Weddings page.

Ministry at Little Gaddesden is shared with the adjoining parishes of Great Gaddesden and Nettleden.

The Revd. John Russell
Vicar

Little Gaddesden Church
Church Road
Little Gaddesden
Hertfordshire
HP4 1NZ

Scroll down to see four of our most frequently visited pages (Coming Up…, How to Find Us, Contact and a digest of the latest News), or browse the menu above to see everything.

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Photo credits: Barbara Sheard, Lyn Hyde, Andrew Sheard

Coming Up…

Here are the services and other events coming up in Little Gaddesden Parish Church in the next few days.
Services are held at Little Gaddesden Church unless otherwise stated.
Scroll down beyond the Services for Notices.

What follows was published on Friday morning and shows services and other events from the Sunday two days later. Non-service events are listed both among the services and underneath them. If you’re looking for a service or other event on the Friday of publication or the Saturday immediately following it, scroll down or click here and then click on the link to the previous week’s services.

  • Week of Sunday 27th April, Easter 2

    Services

    Sunday 27th April, Easter 2

    9amNettleden Morning Prayer (HT)
    9amLittle Gaddesden Parish Communion(JR)
    11amGreat Gaddesden Parish Communion(JR)

    Tuesday 29th April

    9 amGreat Gaddesden Holy Communion
    10.30 am Little Gaddesden Coffee and Cake in the Thomas Field Hall (see below)

    Wednesday 30th April

    7.55 pmZoomMidweek Discussion Group(see below)

    Thursday 1st May

    10 amLittle GaddesdenHoly Communion

    Sunday 4th May, Easter 3

    9amLittle Gaddesden Parish Communion followed by APCM(JR/AWA-pr)
    11amGreat Gaddesden Parish Communion(MS/AWA-pr)
    6pmNettledenEvensong(AWA)

    Please Check for Updates!

    As changes are sometimes made at short notice, please check on the News page whether the above information has been changed or superseded.

    Notices

    Tuesday Morning Coffee and Cake

    Tuesday morning’s Coffee and Cake sessions are in the Thomas Field Hall – Tuesdays from 10.30am to 12 noon. Any enquiries to Hilary Catchpole at h.catchpole@btinternet.com .

    Annual Parochial Church Meeting

    The Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) will be after the 9am morning service held on Sunday 4th May (approximate time of 10.15am, after coffee). All parishioners on the Electoral Roll are very welcome to attend this meeting to find out what has been happening during the last year and to ask questions of the Vicar, the Churchwardens and other members of the PCC.

    Long March 80th Anniversary Charity Cycle Ride 2025

    On 5th May, village resident Stuart Green will be setting off from Stalag Luft III (of Great Escape fame) in Poland to commemorate the Long March of POWs towards the end of WW2.

    The team consists of 9 cyclists, including Stuart’s son Ollie and Roger Churchill (son of a Great Escaper!), and a support vehicle driven by Stuart’s wife Sally, assisted by their daughter, Izzie.

    They will cycle the 300km route which Stuart’s father and thousands of other POWs were forced to follow in Jan/Feb 1945.The ride will finish in Berlin on the 80th Anniversary of VE Day at the Neue Wache Memorial to those lost in war and under oppression.

    The aim is to remember the sacrifice of these men and to raise money for military charities, as well as Coventry Cathedral and the Stalag Luft III museum in Poland. Please support us if you can by using the fundraising link below:

    https://www.givewheel.com/fundraising/6390/long-march-80th-anniversary-charity-cycle-ride/

    LG Church Long March Flyer

    Christian Aid

    Christian Aid week is 11th – 17th May. Advance Notice – Strawberry Cream Tea and cake, Saturday 31st May, 3-5pm in the Thomas Field Hall, Little Gaddesden Church. Raffle. Cost of £5.00, Children U5 free. All funds raised go to Christian Aid Appeal.Midweek Discussion Group

    The Midweek Discussion Group meets on Wednesday evenings.

    Please contact Barbara Sheard at barbara@sheard.com with any questions.

    Regular Giving

    If you normally give weekly in church, you may like to consider paying direct through your bank account.    Click or tap here to visit the Donate Page to find out more. For those who do give this way, tokens to signify you have donated by this method are available on entry to the church, and they can be placed in the collection bag at the appropriate time.

    Pay by Text

    We now have the facility to donate to Little Gaddesden church by text. Just text LITTLEGADD plus the amount you want to donate (between £1 and £20) to 70470, for example ‘LITTLEGADD10’ to donate £10.  

    Texts will cost the amount donated plus one standard rate message.

    The Little Gaddesden Charities

    The funds of The Little Gaddesden Charities are there to help and support those in financial need in the parish, especially at times when budgets are under particular pressure.

    We also support young people in their endeavours, as well as the bereaved.

    Please apply in confidence to the Vicar, The Revd. John Russell  vicar@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk (01442 214898).

Shortcuts to Previous Weekly Services and Notices Posts

Current Date and Time

13th August 2024

Services and other events that are happening in the near future.


Header image credit: All Drone Services Limited

How to Find Us

We’re on Church Road in Little Gaddesden, a few miles north of Berkhamsted, and the postcode is HP4 1NZ.

Church Road is off Nettleden Road, opposite the white gates to Ashridge College, at the north end of Little Gaddesden village green.

Location on Google Maps

Location on Ordnance Survey Maps

For your Sat Nav…

Postcode: HP4 1NZ

Latitude and Longitude: 51.814241, -0.554200
(51°48’51.3″N 0°33’15.1″W)

Full Address

Little Gaddesden Church
Church Road
Little Gaddesden
Berkhamsted
Hertfordshire
HP4 1NZ

Other Locators

OS Grid Reference: SP998138
(Landranger Sheet 165); SP99781382 (Explorer Sheet 182)
(Reading OS maps)

Plus code (what’s that?):
RC7W+M8 Little Gaddesden, Berkhamsted

What3words (what’s that?):
///treble.highly.undulation

Parking

Parking for about 50 visiting cars is available in the church car park (green marker on the map below). There is an overflow car park (blue marker) five minutes walk from the church (red marker). The overflow car park is back down Church Road, opposite Bede Court and next to the bowls club.

Cycling and Walking

Little Gaddesden Church is on a network of country lanes, bridleways, footpaths and long distance trails, all visible on the 1:50,000 scale tiles of the OS map extract above.

The Chiltern Way logo

The Chiltern Way crosses Church Road halfway between Nettleden Road and the church.

Chilterns Cycleway sign

The Chilterns Cycleway runs through Little Gaddesden along Nettleden Road and Hudnall Lane.

Sponsored Bike 'n Hike logo

Little Gaddesden Church has long participated in the annual Sponsored Bike ‘n Hike organised by the Beds and Herts Historic Churches Trust on the second Saturday in September each year.

Please be sure to lock your car, and not to leave any valuables in it.

Public Transport

Rail

The nearest railway station is Berkhamsted, which has frequent trains from London Euston (30-40 mins journey time) and other stations on the West Coast Main Line. Taxis are generally available at the station. Little Gaddesden Church is about ten minutes by car from Berkhamsted station.

Bus

Hertfordshire County Council operates HertsLynx Dacorum, an on-demand bus service that serves Little Gaddesden.

Air

The nearest airports are:

  • Luton (25-45 mins by taxi, or 1-2 hrs by train via London to Berkhamsted) and
  • Heathrow (40-80 mins by taxi, or 1 ½ -2 hrs by train via London to Berkhamsted).

Airport taxi journey times are heavily dependent on traffic.

Little Gaddesden Weather

Our new style weather forecast is powered by Windy. It reports the current local weather and gives a forecast for the next few days:

Our old weather forecast was powered by Dark Sky, which has been bought by Apple. From 2023 it can no longer be embedded in websites, but lives on in the new Apple Weather app for iPhones, iPads and Macs.

Header image: adapted from an 1896 Ordnance Survey One-Inch map, reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland

Contact

The Vicar

The Revd. John Russell
St John’s Vicarage, Piper’s Hill, Great Gaddesden HP1 3BY
Tel:  01442 214898
Email: vicar@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Enquiries about baptisms, banns, weddings, funerals and memorials in the churchyard should be made to the Vicar. If the Vicarage phone is on voicemail please leave a message — it will be attended to as soon as possible. Alternatively, messages can be left with the Churchwardens.

Churchwardens

Terri Adams
Email: churchwarden.ta@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Jane Dickson
Tel: 07795 348938
Email: churchwarden.jd@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

To contact both Churchwardens
Email: churchwardens@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Treasurer

Allan Webster
Email: treasurer@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Accounts

Vanessa Connor
Tel: 01442 843274
Email: accounts@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Parish Administrator

Helene Hockings
Email: parish.admin@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Tower Captain

Virginia Westmacott
Tel: 01442 842428
Email: bells@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Electoral Roll

Annabelle Grassini
Email: electoral.roll@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Website

Original site: Peter Leonhardt
Email: peter@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Current site: Andrew Sheard
Email: webmaster@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Associate Priest

The Revd. Miranda Seldon
Email: associate.priest@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Readers

Anthony Archer
Tel:  07721 504125
Email: anthony.archer@bridgewaterassociates.co.uk

Heather Tisbury
Tel: 01582 842807
Email: reader.ht@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

PCC Secretary

Barbara Sheard
Tel: 01442 843591
Email: pcc.secretary@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Organist & Choirmaster

John Leonhardt
Tel: 01442 843550

Safeguarding Officer

Heather Tisbury
Tel: 01582 842807
Email: safeguarding@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Flower Arranging Co-ordinator

Anne Isherwood
Tel: 01442 842780
Email: flowers@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

War Remembrance

Jane Dickson
Email: war-remembrance@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk

Little Gaddesden Church Contacts

Header artwork credit: Tim Hockings

Latest News

The Latest News section, below, is just a taster of the latest items from our News page. To visit the News page, either use the menu at the top of the page or click here.

Scroll down to Sign Up to our Email Newsletter.

Latest News

  • Week of Sunday 27th April, Easter 2
    Services Sunday 27th April, Easter 2 9am Nettleden Morning Prayer (HT) 9am Little Gaddesden Parish Communion (JR) 11am Great Gaddesden Parish Communion (JR)
  • Week of Sunday 20th April, Easter Day
    Services Sunday 20th April, Easter Day 9am Nettleden Family Communion (MS) 9am Little Gaddesden Family Communion (JR/AG) 11am Great Gaddesden Family Communion (JR)
  • Week of Sunday 13th April, Palm Sunday, Holy Week
    Services Sunday 13th April, Palm Sunday 9am Nettleden Morning Prayer with blessing of the palms (HT) 9am Little Gaddesden Donkey procession from the village hall to the church, Family Service (JR/MS/AG) 11am Great Gaddesden Donkey procession to the church, Family Service, followed by APCM (HT/MS/KR)
  • Week of Sunday 6th April, Lent 5
    Services Sunday 6th April, Lent 5 9am Little Gaddesden Parish Communion (JR/MS-pr/AG) 11am Great Gaddesden Parish Communion (JR/MS-pr/KR) 6pm Nettleden Evensong (RH)
  • Week of Sunday 30th March, Mothering Sunday
    Services Sunday 30th March, Mothering Sunday 9am Nettleden Morning Prayer (AWA) 9am Little Gaddesden Family Service (JR/MS-pr) 11am Great Gaddesden Parish Communion (JR/MS-pr)

Keep Up to Date with Little Gaddesden Church News via Email

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Go to the Little Gaddesden Church News page

Header artwork credit: Tim Hockings