Kempston
Church of the Transfiguration
Places > Kempston > Churches > Church of the Transfiguration
The church of the Transfiguration was built in 1940 to serve the urban centre of Kempston and to replace the older churches of St. John and St. Stephen.
The building of the church was made possible though a bequest of 8,000 for a church in New Town from Mrs Anne Charles-Williamson who died in 1927. The Bishop of St. Albans laid the foundation stone on the 31st July and the church was completed in 1940 and consecrated on the 14th July 1940. St. Johns church was used for light industry and storage for some years before the church was eventually demolished in 1966. While St. Stevens church was purchased by Sanders Leather works nearby and subsequently demolished
The building included a regimental chapel in the north aisle and the baptistery contains a Victorian carved stone font of 1868 from St. Johns Church. Later additions to the church included a new pulpit in 1951 and the stained glass of 1972 in the east window.
Sources
- Newspaper Cuttings Collection, Local Studies Library, Bedford Central Library.
- PICKFORD, C. Bedfordshire Churches in the 19th Century Part 1V Appendices & Index BHRS Vol.80 2001
Church of Transfiguration, Kempston by Bedfordshire Libraries, 2011
Page last updated: 30th January 2014