Baptists in Stotfold

Hope Chapel is a Strict Baptist Church built in 1859 by James Mehew (d.1868) who came to Stotfold from St Neots in the 1830's. The original chapel was built in 1841 on Church Road and called 'Rehoboth'. The Rehoboth had originally been a barn and was converted into a chapel. Two houses now stand there with a plaque that commemorates the chapel.  After leaving 'Rehoboth' James Mehew built Hope Chapel and a church was formed there. The deeds of the chapel incorporate the Articles of Faith of the Gospel Standard Strict Baptists. Mehew’s will includes references to Hope Chapel. 

Kings Street Baptist Church is the current Baptist church in Stotfold and is located on The Green. 

Ecclesiastical Census

On Sunday 30th March 1851 a census of all churches, chapels and preaching-houses of every denomination was undertaken in England and Wales. The local results were published by Bedfordshire Historical Records Society in 1975 as Volume 54, edited by D. W. Bushby. The return for Stotfold Rehoboth Calvinistic Baptist church noted the following pieces of information:

• The church had 186 sittings (74 free, 112 other) including vestry and space for 20 persons.
• The general congregation had been 86 in the morning, 110 in the afternoon and 216 in the evening.