The Ancient Parish of Enfield
Botany Bay, Brimsdown, Bulls Cross, Bush Hill Park, Clay Hill, Cockfosters, Enfield Chase, Enfield Highway, Enfield Lock, Enfield Town, Enfield Wash, Forty Hill, Freezywater, Gordon Hill, Green Street, Oakwood, Ponders End and Turkey Street are all places in the Ancient Parish of Enfield, which was part of the Edmonton hundred of the county of Middlesex. Civil Parishes took over from Ancient Parishes in the 1860s, followed by Urban District Councils in 1894 and then London Boroughs in 1965. Enfield is now part of the London Borough of Enfield.
Enfield parish is bounded on the north by the Hertfordshire parishes of Cheshunt and Northaw, to the east by the county of Essex, to the south by the parishes of Edmonton (Middlesex) and East Barnet (Hertfordshire) and to the west by Monken Hadley and South Mimms (both historically in Middlesex).
The Society has produced a Parish Guide to Enfield
St Andrew, Market Place, Enfield Town
St Andrew’s church is right in the heart of Enfield town. The original Saxon church was probably rebuilt before 1136 and was then given by Geoffrey de Mandeville to his newly-founded monastery at Walden in Essex. The current building dates back to the 14th century but was extended in 1824 and has been much restored.
Records of the Parish of St Andrew, Enfield including registers of baptisms (1550-1981), marriages (1550-1981), banns, burials (1550-1928, 1945-1966), confirmations and a vast parish chest collection. This includes such things as settlement certificates, pauper examinations, removal orders, bastardy bonds and apprenticeship indentures. These are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/004
Christ Church, Cockfosters
Also known as Christ Church, Trent, this church was built in 1839 at the sole expense of Robert Cooper Lee Bevan of Trent Park. It was extended in 1898. Unusually, it faces west.
Records of Christ Church, Cockfosters, including registers of baptisms (1839-1935), marriages (1839-1937) and banns of marriage (1840-1938); service registers and a parish magazine are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/171.
Christ Church, Chase Side-now Christ Church United Reformed Church
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Jesus Church, Forty Hill
This church was erected in 1835 at the sole expense of Christian Paul Meyer of Forty Hall, a district was assigned in 1845 from that of St Andrew.
Records of Jesus Church, Enfield including registers of baptisms (1868-1962); marriages (1847-1989); confirmations; banns of marriage; papers relating to almshouses; and parish magazines are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/046.
St Barnabas the Apostle, Addison Road, Enfield
This was a mission church. Nowadays a modern building called St Barnabas Hall is available for use by the community. No registers have been deposited at London Metropolitan Archives.
St George, Hertford Road, Freezywater
A parish taken from those of Jesus Church, Forty Hill and St James, Enfield Highway, was given to an iron church in Hertford Road in 1901 and a more permanent church was finished by 1906.
Records of the parish of St George, Enfield, including registers of baptisms (1895-1993, marriages (1901-1984), banns of marriage (1901-1993), confirmations, parish magazines (1930-1937), and more are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/192.
Further records, including Parochial Church Council minutes, other committee minutes, administrative papers, electoral roll, financial records, church hall papers and parish magazines are currently uncatalogued.
St Giles, Bullsmoor Lane
A mission church was built here in 1954. Administrative records dating from 1954-1980 are at LMA, Ref: DRO/152 but no registers have been deposited, although there is a book of Banns of Marriage dated 1944-1951 in the collection of Jesus Church which might belong to St Giles. This is at LMA, Ref: DRO/046/A/05.
St James, Enfield Highway
Built on land given by Woodham Connop and consecrated in 1831 as a chapel of ease to serve that part of the parish east of the Hertford Road. It gained a district in 1834 and was licensed for marriages in 1845. An addition to the churchyard was consecrated in 1861.
Records of the parish of St James, Enfield Highway, including registers of baptisms (1834-1951), marriages (1845-1971), burials (1834-1957), confirmations; papers of Saint James School including log books are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/054. This includes baptisms which took place at the Royal Small Arms Factory Chapel, 1886-1897 and others at St George’s Mission Church, 1886-1897.
St John the Baptist, Clay Hill
Built in 1857 as a chapel of ease to the mother church on land belonging to the vicarage, this church was licensed in 1865 after much acrimony between the vicar and James Whatman Bosanquet of Claysmore, Clay Hill, founder of the Protestant Association.
The records of the church of St John the Baptist, Clay Hill, comprise registers of baptisms (1896-2008), marriages (1870-2004), banns (1897-2005) and confirmations (1938-2007) are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/200. Other records, which include service registers, cash books and parish magazines are currently uncatalogued.
St Luke, Browning Road, Clay Hill
A mission church was built in 1890 with a permanent building being constructed on the site of Brigadier House. A parish was formed out of that of St John the Baptist, Clay Hill.
The records of the church of St Luke, Enfield, comprise registers of baptisms (1891-1976), marriages (1900-1990), banns (1938-2007) and confirmations (1900-1990) are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/199. Other records, which include Parochial Church Council minutes and other minutes, service registers, and administrative papers are currently uncatalogued.
St Mark, Main Ave, Bush Hill Park
A mission-room was built in 1885 which was replaced by a permanent church in 1893. Initially a chapel of ease to St Andrew, a parish was assigned in 1903. The records at London Metropolitan Archives are administrative ones only. Any parish registers are still with the incumbent.
St Mary Magdalene, Windmill Hill
This church was financed by Georgiana Hannah Twells of Chaseside House as a memorial to her husband and opened in 1883. Registers of baptisms are still with the incumbent.
St Matthew, South Street, Ponders End
This was built in 1877 as a chapel of ease to St James, Enfield Highway and assigned its own parish in 1899. It is still open to worship.
Records of the parish of St Matthew, Ponders End, including registers of baptisms (1878-1981), marriages (1899-1984), banns of marriage (1930-1986), confirmations and church services; plans of the church, vicarage and mission halls; Parochial Church Council minutes; photographs; orders of service; programmes and parish magazines are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRO/064.
St Michael and All Angels, Chase Side
This was built in 1874 as a chapel of ease to the mother church on a site given by George Batters of Brigadier Hill. A parish was formed in 1931.
Records of the parish of St Michael and All Angels including registers of baptisms (1879-1931), marriages (1931-1970), banns of marriage (1931-1985) confirmations; Parochial Church Council minutes and correspondence; brochures; and curates’ licences are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: DRP/091.
St Paul, Monken Hadley
This was built as a chapel of ease to Christ Church, Cockfosters and opened in 1911. St Paul became independent from Christ Church in 2000.
St Peter, Grange Park
A church was built on the corner of Vera Avenue and Langham Gardens in 1941 with a parish assigned from St Paul, Winchmore Hill and St Andrew, Enfield. It was fitted out using items from older churches damaged during World War II. Baptisms have taken place here since 1927 but registers are believed to be still with the incumbent.
St Peter and St Paul, Ordnance Road
This church was built in 1928 to replace a garrison chapel at the Royal Small Arms factory at Enfield Lock. This chapel was open from 1882-1921. No registers have been deposited at London Metropolitan Archives. This new church, a chapel of ease to St James, Enfield Highway, was damaged by bombing in the Second World War and later demolished. A new church was consecrated in 1969 nearby.
St Stephen, Park Avenue, Bush Hill Park
This church was constructed in 1907 to serve the expanding population of Bush Hill Park on the Edmonton border. Registers are not at London Metropolitan Archives.
St Thomas, Oakwood
The incumbent is believed to hold the baptism register, which started in 1939.