History of St. Alban's

On September 17, 1922, the first service was conducted in the Newtown Square Fire House by The Rev. Crosswell McBee, Rector of St. David's Church, Radnor. In 1924 two acres of land were purchased on Bishop Hollow Road, and a wooden chapel from St. Giles was moved and erected on the land. St. David's Church continued to be in charge until 1945 when the mission was taken over by the Convocation of Chester with The Rev. Frederick F. Valentine, Jr., in charge. The Rev. Frederick Hornby (1946) and The Rev. John K. Coolidge (1948) followed.

During the period that The Rev. William Powell was Vicar, a new church was built on five acres of ground at Chapel Road and Newtown Street Road, and the mission assumed parish status in 1954. The Rectory and offices were built in 1955.

The Rev. Richard J. Herschel became Rector in 1959, and a new education building was completed in 1961. Further additions were made in 1971, and the Columbarium was constructed in 1977. The Thrift Shop began operating in 1980, followed by the inception of our Mother's Day Out program.

The Rev. Winston W. Welty was called in 1982, and a new wing was added in 1989. During the summer of 1997 the parish hall was completely renovated, and the kitchen was upgraded ~ in preparation to begin offering the hall as party rental space, now known near and far as Alban's Garden.

Our current Rector, The Very Rev. Hentzi Elek, his wife Sara Barton, and their children Lucas and Sophia, arrived in October 2001.