Stephens, St.

STEPHENS, ST., a parish, in the union of St. Alban's, hundred of Cashio, or liberty of St. Alban's, county of Hertford, 1 mile (S. W.) from St. Alban's; containing 1826 inhabitants. It comprises 8140a. 2r. 3p., of which 6238 acres are arable, 1399 meadow, and about 503 wood. The rivers Ver and Colne run through the parish. The living is a discharged vicarage, valued in the king's books at £15; patron and incumbent, the Rev. M. R. Southwell; impropriator, the Rev. C. Lomax. The great tithes have been commuted for £1420. 9., and the vicarial for £500. The church, situated on the Roman Watling-street, occupies the site of one built in the reign of King Eldred, by Ulsinus, sixth abbot of St. Alban's: a fine brass eagle with expanded wings, on an ornamented pedestal of the same metal, was dug up some years since in the churchyard, and is now used as a stand in the chancel for Fox's Martyrology. A chapel of ease was lately erected at the village of Park-street, in the Norman style, by subscription, conjointly with £1000 raised by a rate; it was consecrated on October 14th, 1842, and is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Many Roman coins have been found.