The Village of Sarratt
The village of Sarratt lies in beautiful Hertfordshire countryside in the south-east of England, three miles north-west of Rickmansworth and about twenty miles north-west of London and only 2-3 miles outside the London orbital Road - the M25.

 

Sarratt is surrounded by open fields and bordered to the south by the River Chess and the Chess Valley - designated by the UK government as an `Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty`.

 

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Ecclesiastical - The Foundation of Holy Cross
Although 1190 is regarded as the date when the present church building was founded, Jesus Christ had been worshipped in the hamlet of Sarratt long before then, probably on the same site. 

 

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Ecclesiastical - the Middle Ages
In 1199 King John confirmed the grant of Sarratt to St Albans Abbey. 

 

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Ecclesiastical - the Reformation and after
The Reformation brought the Latin mass to an end and the Catholic Church became a persecuted organisation; the changes were radical and massive. 

 

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Ecclesiastical - the 19th Century
An improvement in England`s spiritual health thankfully came about following the Wesley-inspired evangelical awakening that began towards the end of the 18th century and continued through most of the 19th.

 

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Ecclesiastical - the last 100 years
After Edward Ryley`s death the advowson passed to Geoffrey, the elder son, ordained priest in 1893, who made provision for Gilbert, the younger son, born in 1881, to become rector.

 

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Ecclesiastical - the Patrons of Holy Cross
A chronological list of the Patrons of Holy Cross.

 

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Ecclesiastical - the Ministers of Holy Cross
 A chronological list of the Ministers of Holy Cross.

 

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The Building - a brief historical overview
A brief overview of how the shape of the building has changed over the last 800 years. 

 

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The Building - Chronological Historical Table
A chronological historical table of the main changes and/or additions to the fabric, fixed furnishings and churchyard from the 12th Century to the present time.

 

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The Building - The Bells
An inventory and description of the five bells in the belltower.

 

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The Tithe Map
An explanation of the Sarratt Tithe Map.

 

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Glimpses of Sarratt`s Past - The Village in 1842
An insight into the village of Sarratt in 1842 - the date of the Sarratt Tithe Map. 

 

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The Building - a History Paper given in 1902
The text of the History Paper given by the then Rector, Edward Ryley, in 1902 at Holy Cross before the St Albans & Herts Architectural & Archeological Society.

 

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