Rev John Wolstenholme Cobb serves as Rector from 1871 until his death 1883. He is appointed Rector during Butterfield’s restoration work, and further improvements to the church building continue during his incumbency. Cobb is an enthusiastic historian and does much to document the history of the town, Berkhamsted Castle and St Peter’s Church. His book, The History and Antiquities of Berkhamsted (1855) is still used by historians today.
Cobb dies in office in 1883 and is buried with great ceremony in Rectory Lane Cemetery.
