About Us

The Stodden Churches are a group of six parishes in the northern tip of Bedfordshire, who work together to provide worship, ministry and mission to the villages of Dean (All Hallows’ church), Melchbourne (St. Mary Magdalene’s church), Pertenhall (St. Peter’s church), Shelton (St. Mary’s church), Swineshead (St. Nicholas’ church) and Yelden (St. Mary’s church). The total population of the six villages is about 1,200 people and across our  parishes we have a combined figure of 93 on our 6 electoral rolls. The Priest in Charge is Reverend Simon Aley. If you need to contact Simon please email him at [email protected] or phone 07860 414743. All the villages lie within the ancient Hundred of Stodden, whose existence is mentioned in the Doomsday Book.

The Stodden parishes are part of the Sharnbrook Deanery within the diocese of St. Albans in the Church of England. Each of the Stodden parishes is independent. They have delegated all matters relating to worship, ministry and mission to a Joint Parochial Church Council (JPCC) on which each parish is represented. The current Chairs of the JPCC are William Tusting and Gillian Nursaw-Smith. If you need to contact either of them please email William at [email protected] or Gillian at [email protected]. The individual parishes, through their own Parochial Church Councils, where there is one, have responsibility for the maintenance of the church buildings and grounds. Otherwise it is handled through the JPCC. Regular services and events are held at all six churches. You will be very welcome at any of our services. For details of services please see the home page.