Clifton Evangelical Baptists

Clifton Evangelical Baptist Church in March 2007

This small meeting house was built in Clifton Fields in 1936. Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service [BLARS] has no records relating to this meeting.

A previous chapel may have been built in Church Street between 1883 and 1901. The First Edition 25 inches to the mile Ordnance Survey map of 1883 shows nothing on the site but by 1901 a Baptist Chapel is marked. It seems unlikely that the Particular Baptists in Broad Street would have needed another chapel but BLARS has no evidence to tie this building in with the Evangelical Baptists. By the Third Edition of 1923 the building is still there but is no longer marked as a chapel.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 ordered that every building and piece of land in the country be appraised to determine its rateable value. Clifton, like most of Bedfordshire, was appraised in 1927 and the valuer visiting Church Street noted that the building, now called Woodview, neighbouring Holly Cottage, standing in a third of an acre, was "Built as a Chapel" but was then owned by M. S. Deverill and occupied by W. Deverill. The brick and slate building contained a parlour, living room, kitchen and scullery downstairs with four bedrooms and a boxroom above. A brick and tile pantry, attached to the house, stood outside as did a wood and corrugated iron coal barn. The valuer also noted: "Small Glasshouse down garden. Heating out of order". Water was laid on to the premises.