St. Peters Church, Tempsford 

St Peter’s Church is in Church Street, Tempsford SG19 2AN. We have included a map below.

We believe that Church is a place for everyone and would like you to feel part of the family here – known, valued and connected.  Whether you’ve never been to Church before, are in the process of exploring faith or looking for a local Church – everyone is welcome.

We are aware that coming to Church can be overwhelming and it can feel like a big deal to come to Church for the first time. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible so please take the time to read about our services below and don’t hesitate to contact us for more information at tempsfordstpeters@outlook.com

Our regular services and opening times are as follows:

* On the second Sunday of each month at 11am we have our traditional Holy Communion Service.

* On the fourth Sunday of each month at 9.30am is our more upbeat Cafe Church where breakfast treats are available along with hot drinks, during the service.

* On the first Sunday of each month, the Church opens between 2pm and 4pm – this is in conjunction with the Tempsford Museum and Tea Room which opens at a similar time at the Stuart Memorial Hall which is also in Church Street.

* On the second Thursday of each month the Church opens for tea and cake from 2pm to 4pm.  This is a lovely time to have a chat and perhaps a game or two with neighbours/friends, everyone is most welcome.

In addition to these regular activities, we have an exciting schedule of events which are advertised on the notice boards in the village, on the Tempsford social media pages and Riversmeet social media.

There are no parking restrictions in Church Street and so please feel free to pop in whenever the Church is open, or join us at any of our events.

RAF Tempsford is famous for its connection with SOE and the brave deeds of airmen and agents who flew secretly from Tempsford airfield in Lysander, Hudson, Halifax and many other types of aircraft. Before going on their missions, the agents visited our Church to pray for their safe passage. We have a memorial to veterans from RAF Tempsford in our Church which is popular with visitors to the Museum.

December 3rd 2013 is the day Prince Charles (now King Charles III) came to Tempsford to unveil a memorial statue to the very brave women who flew out of Tempsford airfield during WWII. His visit began with a 15 minute service in St Peter’s Church. The service was taken by Reverend Margaret Marshall, and the church was full of veterans and their families, and also dignitaries from around the world. Following the service, the Prince walked over to the monument where he placed the last tile into place, (the rest of the tiles were put in place by the children of the village). He then spent some time speaking to the children and their families before heading into the Wheatsheaf pub to have a pint and a chat with the veterans. This was an incredible day for our Church and our little village, and a day we will not forget

Church Street plays an important part of village life, with the Church, village hall (the Stuart Memorial Hall), local pub and the Millennium Garden which is always worth a visit and especially when the snowdrops and daffodils are in bloom. In summary, a lovely day can be enjoyed in Church Street!

Our Church is a Grade 2* Listed Building, with records of the Church in existence since 1129 with the tower and a side chapel added in 1292. The Church was restored in 1621 and these works included rebuilding the tower.

A second restoration took place in 1874 which involved rebuilding the top stage of the tower, restoring the roof, new stonework in many of the windows, removal of an old gallery and construction of porches on each side of the church.

We have 6 bells mounted in a steel frame. The oldest bell is no. 5 made in 1624, whilst the newest is the no. 1, made in 1924. The no. 6 bell has a diameter of 34 inches and weighs 14 cwt. Our bells are a lovely ring and easily accessible with a ground floor belfry.

We are presently running a campaign to Save the Tempsford Angels as a leak in the chancel roof is causing them to change from their usual gold to green. We are also fund raising to improve our facilities. Any donations are most gratefully received! Please click the link below.

We are extremely grateful for every penny we receive, and are committed to using it wisely.

St Denys Church, Little Barford

St Denys is a beautiful church, maintained by the Churches Conservation Trust. It has no facilities, however the Ascension Day service for the whole Benefice is held here as is our beautiful Christmas Carol Service. Over the past few years, attendance at this service has grown in numbers; the Church being lit only by candlelight makes this a very special service at St Denys, Little Barford.