Boulton St. Mary's Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boulton St Mary’s Church |
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![]() Boulton St Mary’s Church
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53°53′36.3″N 1°25′48.4″W / 53.893417°N 1.430111°W | |
Location | Boulton, Derby |
Country | England |
Denomination | Church of England |
Churchmanship | Broad Church |
Website | Boulton St Mary’s webpage |
History | |
Dedication | St Mary the Virgin |
Architecture | |
Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
Administration | |
Parish | Boulton |
Deanery | Melbourne |
Archdeaconry | Chesterfield |
Episcopal area | Derby |
Diocese | Derby |
Province | Canterbury |
Boulton St Mary's is an old Church of England church. It serves the Boulton area of Derby, England. You can find it on Boulton Lane in Alvaston. This church is part of the Diocese of Derby. It is dedicated to Saint Mary, the mother of Jesus.
People believe the church was first built around 1150. That's almost 900 years ago! It is still used for church services today.
Contents
Discovering Boulton St Mary's History
The story of Boulton St Mary's church began around the year 1150. A local important person, Robert Sacheverell of Hopwell, started the church. He was the Lord of the Manor for that area.
In 1271, there was a disagreement about the church. The Abbot of Darley and the Sacheverell family both wanted control. A special court decided that the church would be a "chapel" of St. Peter's Church in Derby. This meant it was a smaller church linked to a bigger one.
Boulton St Mary's stayed a chapel until 1865. Then, it became its own parish church. This meant it had its own area and was no longer just a part of St. Peter's.
The church is also mentioned in a record from 1547 called the Chantry Roll. This record again noted that Robert Sacheverell founded the church.
How the Church Was Built and Changed
The church is made from strong block sandstone. Its roof is covered with slate. Over the years, the church has been changed and made bigger.
In 1841, a large part was added to the west end of the church. This made the main area, called the nave, 12 feet longer. A small room called a vestry was also added to the north side. Other changes were made at this time too.
More changes happened in 1907. A new part was built at the west end. This included a special tower with two bells, called a twin bell turret.
In 1961, the church had another big extension. A special stone for this new part was laid on January 7, 1961. Miss Grace Robotham laid this stone. As part of these changes, the old twin bell turret was replaced. A new single bell turret was added over the west wall.
The Special Lych-gate Entrance
The main entrance to the church from Boulton Lane is through a wooden structure. This is called a Lych-gate. It was built right after the First World War. It serves as a memorial to the local soldiers who fought in that war.
Joseph Thomas Fisher, a local carpenter, built this gate. He also served in the First World War. It's a special way to remember those who served.
Visiting the Church Today
Boulton St Mary's Church still holds regular services. You can attend on Sunday mornings. There is a Said Communion Service at 8 AM. A Parish Communion service is held at 9:45 AM. There is also a Family Praise service at 11:30 AM.
For more details about services and events, you can visit the church's website.