The Ancient Parish of South Mimms
Potters Bar, parts of High Barnet and South Mimms (or Mymms) are places in the Ancient Parish of South Mimms, which formed part of the Edmonton hundred subdivision 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. South Mimms now forms part of the Hertsmere district of Hertfordshire. Surrounding South Mimms are the Middlesex parishes of Enfield and Monken Hadley and the Hertfordshire parishes of Chipping Barnet, Ridge, Northaw and North Mimms.
The Society has produced a Parish Guide to South Mimms.
St Giles, South Mimms
A church at South Mimms is first mentioned in records dated 1136. The present building dates to the thirteenth century but has been extended and restored over the centuries. St Giles formed part of the diocese of London until 1979 but the benefice was then united with St Margaret’s, Ridge, Hertfordshire, and is now part of the St Albans’ diocese. Records include baptisms (1558-1991), marriages (1558-1991) and burials (1558-1991) are at LMA, Ref: DRO/005.
Christ Church, St Albans Road, Barnet
This church was built in 1845 as a chapel of ease to St Giles, South Mimms. It was built on land purchased from George Byng of Wrotham Park and was mainly financed by Captain Trotter of Dyrham Park. It was made an independent parish in 1884. Records include baptisms (1845-1968), marriages (1854-1969) and burials (1901-1915) at LMA are Ref: DRO/107.
King Charles the Martyr, Dugdale Hill Lane, Potters Bar
The London Diocesan Home Mission founded a mission in 1937 to serve the new housing estates, with this church being built in 1941. A parish was assigned in 1949. The registers include baptisms (1938-1986) and marriages (1941-1973) are at HALS, Ref: DO/131.
St John the Baptist, High Street, Potters Bar
This church opened in1835 as a chapel of ease with funds given by George Byng of Wrotham Park. The Byng family were buried in this church until they built their own mausoleum in their grounds in 1880.
This church was replaced by St Mary the Virgin and All Saints in 1915, with the font, pulpit and organ being transferred to the new church on the opposite side of the road, together with the registers.
The church of St John was demolished in 1970 although the churchyard remains and has been the site of the war memorial since it was moved there in 1973. Records include baptisms (1835-1961) and marriages (1840-1929) at HALS are Ref: DP/130.
The cemetery book of St John the Baptist, dated from 1896-1912, is at HALS.
St Mary the Virgin and All Saints, High Street, Potters Bar
This church was built in 1915 to replace St John the Baptist, whose registers it took over. The cross in the Lady chapel is apparently made out of metals from a Zeppelin that was brought down nearby in 1916. Records include baptisms (1835-1961), marriages (1840-1929) and burials (1835-1933) are at HALS are Ref: DP/130.
The church’s burial ground, which is about half a mile away in Mutton Lane, was closed in 1979 and responsibility for it now rests with Hertsmere Borough Council.
St Michael and All Angels, Church Road, Potters Bar
This mission church was built of corrugated iron in 1874. It burnt down in 1942 and was not replaced. Any records are included at HALS with St John/St Mary, Ref: DP/130.
Trinity Chapel, Bentley Heath
This was erected by George Byng in 1866 as a private chapel for his family at their Wrotham Park estate. The public were admitted to services but it is now not used much. Byng’s memorial was moved here from St John’s. Registers have not been deposited at an archive centre.