Church of St Mary and St Thomas

Church of St Mary and St Thomas, Knebworth
The northern side of the church looking towards the tower
Location	Knebworth Park, Knebworth, Hertfordshire, SG3 6PY
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Previous denomination	Roman Catholic
Architecture
Status	Active
Functional status	Parish church
Heritage designation	Grade I listed
Designated	27 May 1968
Administration
Parish	Knebworth
Deanery	Stevenage
Archdeaconry	Hertford
Diocese	Diocese of St Albans
Clergy
Rector	The Revd Jim Pye

The Church of St Mary and St Thomas is one of two Anglican churches in Knebworth, Hertfordshire, England. The church dates from the twelfth century and is a grade I listed building.

The church is set in a churchyard which has listed tombstones by Edwin Lutyens. It is surrounded by parkland.

Like a number of Norman churches in the area (for example, St Nicholas' Church, Stevenage; All Saints, Datchworth), the site is on a hill. Archaeological investigations have identified traces of an early settlement between the church and Knebworth House. It is believed that the settlement was abandoned when the park was created in c. 1300.

In 1914 work started on a new church, St Martin's, to serve the main population centre of Knebworth, but St Mary and St Thomas has remained in use.

The architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner described the exterior of the church as "architecturally insignificant". The most prominent feature is the tower, surmounted by a short spire typical of the region called a "Hertfordshire spike".(see note)

Features of interest inside the church include a Norman chancel arch and memorials to the Lytton family.

On 27 May 1968, the church was designated a grade I listed building.

The church still uses the Book of Common Prayer for its services. The church is part of the parish of Knebworth in the Archdeaconry of Hertford of the Diocese of St Albans.

Coordinates: 51°52′27″N 0°12′48″W / 51.87404°N 0.21347°W / 51.87404; -0.21347