Derby Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Derby Cathedral |
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| Cathedral Church of All Saints | |
East view of the cathedral
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 Derby Cathedral
Location in Derby Central
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| 52°55′29″N 1°28′38″W / 52.9248°N 1.4773°W | |
| Location | Derby, Derbyshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | All Saints' Church, Derby (6th century – 1927) |
| Consecrated | 1927 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Gothic, Neoclassical |
| Years built | c. 1530–1725 renovated 1969–1975, 2015–2016 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of towers | 1 |
| Tower height | 212 feet (65 m) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Derby (since 1927) |
| Province | Canterbury |
Derby Cathedral, officially known as the Cathedral Church of All Saints, is a famous church in the city of Derby, England. It became a cathedral in 1927. This meant it became the main church for the Bishop of Derby, who is a leader in the Church of England. The original church, called All Saints, was built around the mid-10th century. The main part of the church you see today was rebuilt in the Georgian style by James Gibbs and finished in 1725. The tall tower is much older, from the 16th century. A newer section, called a retroquire, was added in the 20th century.
Contents
History of Derby Cathedral
How the Church Began
The first church on this spot, dedicated to All Saints, was likely built around 943. It was probably started by the Anglo-Saxon King Edmund I. No parts of that very old building remain today. After the Normans took over England in 1066, the church belonged to the king. The Domesday Book of 1086 says it was served by seven priests.
Building the Tower
The old Saxon church likely became unsafe and was taken down. A new church was built in the 14th century. Drawings from that time show it was about the same size as the building we see now. Between 1510 and 1532, the impressive 212-foot (65 m) tower was built. It was made in the Perpendicular Gothic style.
On top of the tower, you can see twelve large, carved animal figures called grotesques. There are three on each side. At the bottom of the tower, near the main West Door, there is a carved stone head of a Green Man on each side. The tower was built using sandstone from a nearby quarry.
Rebuilding the Church
By the 1650s, the church building was in bad shape. By 1700, it was almost falling apart. In 1723, the vicar, Dr. Michael Hutchinson, decided to rebuild it. He had the old church pulled down overnight. The people of Derby, including the Mayor, then started raising money to build a new church. Dr. Hutchinson worked very hard to get donations. He even gave a lot of his own money.
The original tower from the 1530s was kept. The rest of the church was rebuilt in a Neo-Classical style. This design was made in 1725 by the famous architect James Gibbs. He wanted the inside of the church to be simple and open.
To make the inside more interesting, Gibbs added a beautiful wrought iron screen. This screen goes across the whole width of the church. It was made by a local iron-worker named Robert Bakewell. The new church opened, and the first sermon was given on November 25, 1725.
Becoming a Cathedral
On July 1, 1927, All Saints' Church officially became a cathedral. Later, between 1967 and 1972, a new section called a retroquire was added to the east end of the building. This part was designed by Sebastian Comper.
Special Features and Art
The cathedral has many interesting things to see. One of its treasures is the 18th-century wrought iron screen made by Robert Bakewell. He was paid a lot of money for his work.
You can also see a monument with a statue of Bess of Hardwick. She was a very important woman from Hardwick Hall. There are also brass memorials of her family, the Cavendish family.
The large entrance gates were also made by Robert Bakewell. They were moved to the cathedral in 1957. In 2012, they were cleaned up and renamed the Queen Elizabeth II Gates to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
In the 20th century, new stained-glass windows were added. These were designed by Ceri Richards. There is also a bronze cross made by Ronald Pope.
Clock and Carillon
The Cathedral Clock
In 1927, a new clock was put in by John Smith & Son, a clockmaking company from Derby. It replaced a very old clock that no longer worked well. Until 1976, heavy weights powered the clock. Someone had to wind these weights by hand every day. To save money, an automatic system was installed to wind both the clock and the carillon.
Derby Cathedral's clock has two faces, both made of stone and 8 feet (2.4 m) wide. One faces West towards St Mary's Gate, and the other faces South down Irongate. They were cleaned and gilded (covered in gold leaf) in 1964 and again more recently. During the 1964 work, it was discovered that the long metal tubes used to operate the clock were actually old gun barrels from 1745!
The Carillon and its Tunes
A carillon is a musical instrument that plays tunes using the cathedral's bells. The current carillon was installed in 1931 by John Smith of Derby. It replaced an older machine from the 17th century.
The carillon plays a tune three times a day. The seven tunes it plays change automatically each day. The tunes are played at 9 am, 12 noon, and 6 pm:
- Sunday — Thaxted
- Monday — Truro
- Tuesday — The Shady Bowers
- Wednesday — All Saints
- Thursday — Lass of Paittie's Mill
- Friday — The Highland Laddie
- Saturday — The Derby Ram
In 1976, one of the carillon tunes was changed to "The Derby Ram". This is a march linked to the Sherwood Foresters Regiment. It helps remember the regiment's connection to Derby.
Tower and Bells
Oldest Ring of Bells
Derby Cathedral has the oldest set of ten bells in the world. Most of these bells have been there since 1678. That's when the number of bells was increased from six to ten. The largest bell weighs about 965 kg (19 cwt). Its note is D-flat, and it is over 500 years old. This means it's even older than the tower itself! People believe it came from Dale Abbey when monasteries were closed down long ago. The newest bell, number 3, is from 1693. So, all the bells are more than 300 years old.
When the church became a cathedral in 1927, the bells were retuned. They were also rehung in a new metal frame at a lower level.
Tower Events
On October 28, 1732, a Frenchman named Gillinoe did something amazing. He "flew" down from the top of the steeple on a rope! He did this several times. Once, a donkey was sent down the rope, but it broke, and some people watching were hurt.
During World War II, on July 25, 1940, a barrage balloon broke free during a storm. Its chain got caught around one of the stone decorations on the tower. It knocked off the top half of that decoration.
Peregrine Falcons
In late 2005, people discovered that a pair of peregrine falcons had made the cathedral tower their home. In 2006, a special nesting platform was put up for them. They nested there in April of that year. Webcams were installed in 2007, 2008, and 2013. These cameras let people watch the birds up close without disturbing them.
The same pair of falcons successfully raised chicks every year until 2016. However, in March 2017, a new male falcon took over the nesting platform. The old male was at least 14 years old. The female falcon accepted the new male. They laid four eggs, and three chicks hatched.
Abseiling for Charity
In 2009, more than 150 members of the Derby Mountain Rescue Team abseiled (climbed down on ropes) the tower to raise money for charity. Since then, more sponsored abseils have happened every year. In 2012, even the Assistant Curate and the Dean of Derby Cathedral took part!
Cathedral Centre
The Derby Cathedral Centre is located across from the west doors on Irongate. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened it. It used to have a café, a bookshop, and a place to show art by local artists. However, the shop and café have been closed since March 2020. The Cathedral Centre also holds the cathedral offices and meeting rooms.
In 2017, the Cathedral Café won an award for Best Customer Service at the annual Derby Food and Drinks Awards.
Burials
Many notable people are buried at Derby Cathedral, including:
- Bess of Hardwick
- Henry Cavendish
- Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire
- John Lombe
- William Ponsonby, 2nd Earl of Bessborough
- William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire
- Charlotte Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington
Cathedral Clergy
Leaders of the Cathedral
As of June 2023, the main leaders of Derby Cathedral are:
- Dean — Peter Robinson (since July 20, 2020)
- Canon for Liturgy (also called Precentor) — This position is currently empty.
- Canon for Community Learning — Carla Vicêncio Prior (since October 16, 2022)
Other Clergy Members
- Cathedral Chaplain — Adam Dickens (since March 3, 2014; he is also a Chaplain to the University of Derby)
- Associate Priest — Michael Futers
- Associate Priest — Dwayne Engh
Music at the Cathedral
Organs and Organists
The Organ
In 1939, a large organ was installed by John Compton of London. It got its impressive wooden case, designed by Sebastian Comper, in 1963. The organ is played from a special console with four keyboards. It was fully checked and repaired in 1992. In 1973, another smaller organ was added in the new retroquire (east end) of the cathedral.
Organists
Between April 2013 and December 2014, Canon Peter Gould went on a musical journey. He visited 270 churches and raised over £7,400 for charity. He performed for more than 3,500 people. During his tour, he found that three church organs were in poor condition.
On January 4, 2015, Canon Peter Gould left his role as Director of Music. Hugh Morris, who used to be the music director at Christchurch Priory, took over. The current Director of Music, Alexander Binns, started on May 1, 2019. Edward Turner has been the Assistant Director of Music since September 1, 2017.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Derby para niños
- List of cathedrals in the United Kingdom
- Grade I listed churches in Derbyshire
- Grade I listed buildings in Derbyshire
- Listed buildings in Derby (Arboretum Ward)
