| Description | The parish of St Richard of Chichester, founded in 1912, serves the market town of Buntingford and surrounding villages in Hertfordshire. The foundation stone of the church was laid on 16 May 1914 by notable priest and author, Mgr Robert Hugh Benson, who lived locally at Hare Street House and helped fund the church's construction. Although the church is dedicated to St Richard of Chichester, it is also known as the Benson Memorial church, in honour of Mgr Benson who died in October 1914. The church was formally opened on 21st January 1915.
The church was designed as a modern Gothic building in early perpendicular style by Arthur Young, a well-known architect of many churches (including the new church at Old Hall Green), using St Aldhelm Box Ground stone (from Bath) and flint. It was built by the Buntingford branch of Jacklin & Co under Mr G. Handy, the local manager. The presbytery was built after the nave and sacristy but the whole was completed in 1914. The Lady Chapel, which was mainly financed by an anonymous American lady, was added in 1916. As money was donated, so the building was added to; the porch in 1934 and the tower in 1939. The tower and porch were probably designed by Arthur Young's partner, Allan D Reid. The completed structure was consecrated by the Right Rev. Edward Myers, Bishop of Lamus, on Wednesday 5th June 1940. The Benson Hall is adjacent to the Church and is used regularly by the church, and wider Buntingford community. It is a medium sized hall with a capacity of 100 with a stage and small kitchen.
Serious flash flooding occurred at Buntingford on 16 September 1968, which penetrated the church and the presbytery to a depth of four or five feet, distorting the wooden parquet flooring of the nave and damaging many books and possessions of the parish priest, Fr Patrick C Smyth. The archives refer to records relating to the church having been destroyed during this flood. Later, but not as a result of the flood, the tower needed structural repairs costing some £3000.
In 1975, the Sons of Divine Providence were invited by Cardinal Heenan to take over St Francis School in Buntingford, which looked after mentally disabled youngsters, after the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary had to relinquish running it. Along with the School, the Sons of Divine Providence were also offered the parish of Buntingford itself.
For a while, priests from the church of St Richard of Chichester, Buntingford, appear to have said Mass at a small chapel (the Chapel of the Annunciation) converted from a barn at Tinker's Hall Farm, Furneux Pelham, which was founded in the 1940s by Neville and Florence Lake, who owned the property.
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