Rev John Crofts begins his incumbency as Rector of St Peter’s Church in 1810 and remains in the post until his death in 1851. At this time, the Victorian movement to improve church buildings is growing, supported by the Bishop of Lincoln, John Kaye. During his tenure at Great Berkhamsted, Crofts oversees a number of renovations and additions to the parish: a new clock is installed in the bell tower of St Peter’s; a new cemetery is established; a major renovation of the church building is carried out under Jeffry Wyattville; and most controversially, Crofts has the old 17th-century rectory (revered as the birthplace of William Cowper) demolished and builds a new grandiose rectory further up the lane, complete with imposing iron gates across Rectory Lane.
