Derbyshire Churches and Chapels
Ault Hucknall St John The Baptist (Grade I) SK467652
An ambitious cruciform church in miniature within what has been described as "the smallest village in England"; a large part of the parish, however, is taken up by the grounds and estate of Hardwick Hall. There are substantial amounts of masonry, notably the west front, north arcade and eastern arch of the crossing, which are of Saxon or very early Norman origin. Particularly worthy of note is the carved tympanum (over the blocked up west door) displaying an Agnus Dei together with St Margaret emerging from the body of the Devil(!). At the east end of the south aisle is some 1527 glass depicting the Crucifixion. Below the elaborate 1627 monument to Anne Keighley (wife of 1st Earl of Devonshire) is a slab to Thomas Hobbes, the philosopher, who died at Hardwick in 1679.
SUNDAY SERVICE: 11.00 Holy Communion (2nd Sunday Family Service)
CHURCH OPEN: SAT 1.00-5.00 (EASTER TO HARVEST)
WELL DRESSING: 3rd SAT JULY FOR WEEK
CONTACT: Tel: (01246) 850371 (Incumbent)
Cresswell St Mary Magdalene, Elmton Road SK526743
A spacious church, built in 1899-1900 for the Duke of Portland and designed by L Ambler; aisles were added in 1914 and the tower in 1927 - all still by Ambler. Two particularly fine features are the memorial window to the 1950 Cresswell Colliery disaster and the rose window at the east end. In the churchyard are many graves from the 1950 disaster.
SUNDAY SERVICES: 8.30, 9.30, 6.00
CONTACT: Tel: (01909) 721264 (Vicar)
(street for 30 mins or public CP 50 yds)
Eckington St Peter & St Paul, Church Street (Grade I) SK432798
This is one of Derbyshire's greater churches and one that certainly should be better known. It contains important work of each century from the twelfth to the twentieth, though it is probably that of the earliest period which will demand our closest attention. On arrival the visitor will be impressed by the massive, flat buttressed tower, whose west door is still round Norman while its belfry windows are of the simplest early lancet Gothic; all this is surmounted by a large C14 stone spire. Once inside we cannot fail to notice the tall C12 Norman arcades with five bays apiece, of which the three easternmost each side are slightly earlier. Even the C18 has been allowed to leave its mark in the form of the south aisle wall and porch - though the former Georgian chancel was clearly just too much for the 1907 re-Gothicisers to bear!. The church contains several monuments of the Sitwell family (from nearby Renishaw Hall), one of whom brought back from Italy the altar painting (after Annibale Carracci).
SUNDAY SERVICES: 9.30, 6.30
CHURCH OPEN: FRI, SAT, SUN, 2.00-4.00 (EASTER TO HARVEST)
CONTACT: Tel: (01246) 432196 (Rector)
Publication: P Bond, A History of St Peter and St Paul Church, Eckington
(street or White Hart CP)
C18 churches are few and far between in Derbyshire. This one is the result of a total rebuild in 1771 of a mediaeval church. It has a nave, and low, apsed chancel, together with an incomplete west tower. A carved pulpit and tester are of the same date. In the church hangs a painting of Jedidiah Buxton, the C18 arithmetical genius, whose home was in Elmton.
SUNDAY SERVICE: 11.00
WELL DRESSING: LAST W/E JUNE
KEY AVAILABLE: from Elmtree Inn
(street)
Killamarsh St Giles, Kirkcroft Lane SK461810
The village is right in the north east corner of the county, adjacent to Sheffield. The church was enlarged and restored in the late C19, though a fine Norman south doorway still remains. A C15 window in the chancel of Virgin (crowned) and Child was recently conserved and repaired by the York Glaziers' Trust. In the churchyard are a Saxon cross and the restored Parish stocks.
SUNDAY SERVICES: 8.30 10.00
CONTACT: Tel: (0114) 248 2769 (Priest-in-charge) or one of the churchwardens (0114) 2476504 (Chris Lambley).
Publication: J Bradshaw, The Parish Church of St Giles
(street or cemetery, 50 yds)
Norman origins are clear in the chancel arch and font. As for the rest it consists of aisleless nave and chancel, all dating from the C13.
SUNDAY SERVICE: 9.30
CONTACT: Tel: (01623) 810574 (Mr Clay)
FLOWER FESTIVAL: 2nd SUN JULY FOR FIVE DAYS
This Gothic church was opened in 1903 as a Chapel of Ease in Eckington parish. Of simple design, "it always has a neat and well kept appearance".
SUNDAY SERVICE: 9.30
CHURCH OPEN: TUE MORNINGS (COFFEE)
(street)
Ridgeway St John The Evangelist, Main Road SK402812
An 1840's Gothic church with a later C19 tower. The chancel has now been refurbished as a small worship area, while the nave and aisles have been converted into a hall and meeting rooms - a good example of how an unwieldy Victorian building can be effectively adapted to modern needs.
SUNDAY SERVICE: 10.45
CONTACT: Tel: (01246) 433666 (Mrs Farrer)
(street)
Scarcliffe St Leonard SK495687
There is an interesting 13th century effigy of Lady Constantia.
SUNDAY SERVICE: 9.30am (not 1st Sunday)
6.30pm (1st Sunday)
CONTACT: Tel: (01246) 850371 (Incumbent)
Staveley Methodist, Chesterfield Road SK430746
Opened in 1976 this is an integral complex consisting of church, schoolrooms and hall. It is of brick finish, both outside and in, with window layout of similar design to that of Coventry Cathedral. Organ, pulpit and full-sized stone font (unusual in the Methodist tradition) are all from the previous Wesleyan chapel on the site.
SUNDAY SERVICES: 10.30 & (occasionally) 3.00 (GMT) or 6.00 (BST)
"OPEN DOORS" COFFEE MORNING: FRI 10.30-11.30 - refreshments - sit & pray - or just look round
Staveley Poolsbrook Methodist, Cottage Close SK443734
Built in 1893, this chapel is within the Bolsover & Staveley Circuit. Visitors are welcome to have a look round.
SUNDAY SERVICE: 3.00
CONTACT: Tel: (01246) 477993
Steetley All Saints' Chapel (Grade I)
SK543787
Though tiny and necessarily restored, this is a priceless gem dating from the mid 12th century. It is tri-cellular - nave, chancel and apsed sanctuary. By the C19 the chapel was ruinous and roofless, so much of what we see is due to J L Pearson's tasteful restoration of 1876-80, of which the vaulting of the apse is particularly effective. The atmosphere of the interior is nowadays enhanced by visitor-operated lighting on a time switch. The parish of Whitwell (see below), to which the chapel belongs, is indeed blessed in having two such outstanding Norman places of worship.
SUNDAY SERVICE: 3.15
CHURCH OPEN: DAILY, 9.00-6.00
Publication: All Saints Steetley
CONTACT: Tel: (01909) 720220 (Rector)
Upper Langwith (Or Langwith Bassett) Holy Cross SK519614
A simple nave and chancel of C13 origin and C15 appearance. The pretty bellcote was added by Norman Shaw at his restoration in 1877.
SUNDAY SERVICE: 10.00
CONTACT: Tel: (01623) 743379 (Mrs Launders)
FLOWER FESTIVAL & WELL DRESSING: EARLY JULY
Publication: G Bevan, A History of Langwith Bassett
Whitwell St Lawrence, High Street (Grade I)
SK526769
After Melbourne this must be the most impressive Norman nave in the county, with tower arch, north and south arcades, an especially fine chancel arch and even (unusually, since they have not been enlarged at a later date) the clerestory window openings - all pure 12th century Norman. The 14th century saw the addition of the transepts and the enlarging of the chancel, the latter being particularly spacious, with a finely preserved sedilia. Interesting glass is to be found in both transepts - in the south are windows saved from St James, Derby, while the C14 so-called "Monkey" windows are in the traceries of the north one.
SUNDAY SERVICES: 8.15, 9.30, plus 6.00 (1st only)
CHURCH OPEN: MON-FRI, 8.45-5.15
CONTACT: Tel: (01909) 720220 (Rector)