David Paul explores the history and architecture of the buildings, the tombs that are contained within their walls and the customs surrounding these centuries-old community meeting places.
His extensive research for the book ‘Churches of Derbyshire’ discovered a plethora of ancient and historically significant places of worship including St Mary and All Saints Parish Church in Chesterfield and All Saints Parish Church in Bakewell.
While it’s common knowledge that Chesterfield’s famed Crooked Spire church had its interior fittings destroyed by a serious blaze in 1961, it may come as a surprise that it wasn’t the first time that the church had caught alight. In 1861 a bolt of lightning started a fire in a beam next to the wooden roof of the chancel which was discovered by the sexton on his nightly round.
Over at Pentrich, a 500-year-old font went missing from St Matthew’s Church in the 19th century and was found in the cellar of a former churchwarden where it had been used to salt beef!
Traditions down the years have including placing a rope across the door of St Peter’s Church in Hope on a wedding day just before the newly-weds were about to leave the service. A payment in the form of a toll would be demanded of the happy couple.
And at St Michael’s Church in Hathersage, a Maiden’s Garland – a symbol of virginity and innocence – would be displayed at the funeral of an unmarried woman or girl in a tradition which extended into the early 19th century.
The Black Death sparked many health-related superstitions in Crich such as if anyone let blood in the left arm on April 11, he would not lose his eyesight for that year and if he let blood on April 3 he would be spared headaches for the remainder of the year.
David’s book even contains a ghost story involving the Rev William Blurton, vicar of Kirk Hallam from 1891 to 1911. The vicar was travelling home in his pony and trap from an evening engagement when he saw ‘a headless’ lady pass by.
‘Churches of Derbyshire’ will be on sale from August 15, 2022 and available from Amberley Publishing, priced £15.99. Go to www.amberley-books.com
9. St Peter's, Edensor
In the 19th century the 7th Duke of Devonshire commissioned a new church to be built in the Early English style after the whole village of Edensor was relocated away from neighbouring Chatsworth House. The church took five years to construct and incorporated the Cavendish chapel among many original features, a pulpit and font fashioned from marble and alabaster mined on the Duke's estate. The grave of Kathleen Kennedy, sister of the American president JFK and married to the 10th duke's son, is in Edensor churchyard. Photo: David Paul
10. All Saints Parish Church, Kirk Hallam
This small, aisle-less church near Ilkeston has beak-headed Norman mouldings on each side of the south entrance and a Norman font. Extensive repair works were carried out on the church in the 19th century after parishioners were warned that it was in danger of falling down. The Newdigate family organised a public subscription appeal to raise the £1,028 to rebuild the church from scratch but it failed to reach its target and the Newdigates covered some of the costs of the major repairs. Photo: David Paul
11. St Mary's Parish Church, Crich
The church was first erected in the mid 12th century and still has its Norman font. A mammoth bell-ringing stretching to two hours and 59 minutes was held In 1929 to celebrate the recasting of the church bells. The church has a recess in the north chancel wall which would originally have been a squint that allowed people to see the high altar from that point; the aperture could also be used for the priest to hear confessions. Photo: David Paul