Although many of Shenley’s population were involved in humble occupations, the village was considered quite prosperous. In 1754 the village was assessed to be the sixteenth highest parish in the county (excluding the areas around St Albans) and by 1823, the rateable value of the parish was £9,796.00, with only nine other parishes in the county rating higher.
St Botolph’s church was the village parish church for several hundred years. However, after St Peter’s Church in London Colney was built in 1826 the boundaries were redefined. This meant that a number of properties, formerly within Shenley, became part of London Colney. With this loss of a number of his congregation, the Rector of Shenley, Thomas Newcombe, had another church built in 1839, which became what is now the parish church of Shenley – St Martins. The first service ever held there was on 16 March 1840.
St. Martin's Church
