About Us

Welcome to our village and especially St. Faith's church. The church is normally open at all times to visitors, ramblers and those who attend our 9 am Sunday services (except the third Sunday in the month), however at this time of the coronavirus we are only open on Tuesdays and government guidelines about social distancing will need to be maintained when you visit (more information on posters in the church) .  Responsibility for the upkeep of the church falls on the community so your donations are welcome.

The People

Kelshall is not a large village and this is reflected in the fact that the worshipping congregation on a Sunday is not normally large, but is a large percentage of the population of the village! 

We are a friendly and welcoming group of people seeking to live out our faith through our words, actions and worship. We hope to be inclusive of all people and all ages. Although there is not formal provision for children at this point in our worship, there are activities that they can do during the service, and we certainly don't mind if children become restless or make a noise. There is a toilet with changing facilities available. 

The Parish

St Faith’s Parish is at the heart of a rural Parish on the Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire border. It is situated at the Northern end of the Chiltern ridge on the upper Icknield Way. At a height of nearly 500 ft views take in Bedfordshire, Ely and Cambridge.

The church was built in the period 1380 – 1430 and replaced an earlier church on the site. John Fordham, Bishop of Ely may well have been instrumental in its founding and as you enter the Church through the Porch you will see two heads carved in the sandstone on either side. These are believed to be Bishop John to the left and King Richard II on the right. The church is a listed building, category Grade II*.

The Building

The church is constructed of chalk and flint with sandstone dressings and the building you see today has changed little since it was built, the only restoration of significance being the rebuilding of the chancel in the 1870’s. The churchyard is retained by a wall most of which has fallen away over the years although in recent years that portion between the upper and lower churchyard has been restored using the old stone copings. The lower churchyard was added in 1911 through gift of the land by the Fordham family. Burials since then have taken place there as well as internment of ashes, Given the congestion in the upper churchyard the gravestones were removed over the years leaving it as it is today. The lychgate was also added in 1911 as a memorial to the then Rector.

The churchyard is a haven for wildlife and flowers and the church itself plays host to bats - pipistrelle and the rarer brown long eared. The churchyard and building displays over 100 different types of lichens, some extremely rare.

More information about the building and parish can be found in a leaflet inside the church.