History St Nicholas' Church, Berden

st nicholas north east chancel , north transept

the earliest record of priest @ berden of john de askeby in 1325. @ time of church of england’s secession , break rome berden priests appointed bishop of london. during 19th century incumbent priest held office , living under vicarage, or curacy might have been perpetual or stipendiary. living of rev frederick gifford nash in mid-19th century had yearly value of £150, further allowance of £18. 10s queen anne s bounty. received residence , 3 acres (0.01 km) of glebe—land used support parish priest—in gift of christ’s hospital. end of 19th century value of living had not increased, , had risen £182 1914.

within churchyard, south-west of tower, stone marker grave of henry trigg. trigg berden parish constable @ beginning of 19th century, , ran shoe shop adjacent berden hall in village. on night of 25 march 1814 2 men bishops stortford, william pratt , thomas turner, broke trigg s shop thieve leather goods. confronted trigg , father. trigg offered defence disabling turner, after pratt attempt shoot trigg’s father double-barrelled gun, both father , son made escape. pratt, using words now, damn heart, , shot trigg in chest, killing him. year later pratt , turner captured bow street runners, sentenced death, , sent gallows. words in memory of henry trigg of parish aged 36 years murdered march 25th 1814 endeavouring protect property recorded written on tombstone. following execution of pratt , turner, postscript reportedly added trigg’s stone: march 13th 1815 wm pratt, thos turner both of bishops stortford, herts. executed @ chelmsford above offence on own confession .

the rev herbert kynaston hudson, vicar 1899 1937, reintroduced miracle play , ceremony of ‘boy bishop’, based on 15th-century tradition. boy take role of bishop, central event celebrating life of saint nicholas, , hold office year. hudson set in 1901 guild of st nicholas both boys , girls, organize event , elect bishop . event again revived in 1956-57 , between 1961 , 1966. equivalent election girl ‘may queen’, accompanied boy bishop , vicar top of church tower on may day. film units british-pathé , gaumont british recorded , screened berden s boy bishop ceremony.

st nicholas’ received national heritage grade building listing on 21 february 1967.

in 2009 st nicholas’ received grant of £3000 tiling , gutter work friends of essex churches.