In 1865-7, Sir George Gilbert Scott provided a new roof and refitted and carried out other alterations to St. Michael's Church, one mile to the west of the Abbey. This included removing the west gallery and also the box pews, rebuilding the chancel east wall and window, rebuilding the south-east chapel buttresses, adding a south porch and repairing the tower. This is an important medieval church, still retaining much of its original Saxon structure and situated on the site of the basilica of Verulamium. But this did not deter Lord Grimthorpe in 1896 from completely altering its appearance by demolishing the old tower and building a new one so that he could extend the nave westwards.

Ferriday, P., Lord Grimthorpe 1816-1905 (John Murray, London, 1957), p. 194.