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St Barnabas' Church, Derby facts for kids

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St Barnabas' Church, Derby
St Barnabas, Mackworth (geograph 2157011).jpg
St Barnabas’ Church, Mackworth, Derby
St Barnabas' Church, Derby is located in Derbyshire
St Barnabas' Church, Derby
St Barnabas' Church, Derby
Location in Derbyshire
52°55′32.1″N 1°30′3.26″W / 52.925583°N 1.5009056°W / 52.925583; -1.5009056
Location Derby, Derbyshire
Country England
Denomination Church of England
History
Dedication St Barnabas
Consecrated 7 October 1885
Architecture
Heritage designation Derby Local List
Architect(s) Arthur Coke-Hill
Groundbreaking 18 October 1884
Completed 1 October 1885
Administration
Parish St Barnabas, Derby
Deanery Derby North
Archdeaconry Derby
Diocese Diocese of Derby

St Barnabas' Church in Derby, Derbyshire, is a Church of England parish church. It is a special place for people to gather and worship.

History of the Church Building

Early Beginnings

Before the current church was built, there was a smaller "mission church" on the same spot. This was in the 1870s. A mission church is a place where people can worship and learn about their faith, often in a new or growing area. However, this first church soon became too small for everyone who wanted to attend.

Building the New Church

To build a bigger church, a special ceremony took place on 18 October 1884. George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, laid the "foundation stone." This is the very first stone placed when a building is started. It's a symbolic moment.

The church was designed by an architect named Arthur Coke-Hill. The builders were a company called Walker and Slater. They worked very quickly! The main parts of the church, like the nave (the central area where people sit) and the aisles (passageways on the sides), were finished in less than a year. The church officially opened on 1 October 1885.

Materials Used

The outside walls of the church were built using stone from Coxbench. Inside, the walls were covered with a rough plaster called stucco. Finer stones from Bath and Handsworth were used for decorative parts. The roof tiles came all the way from Ruabon in North Wales. A heating system was put in by a company from Belfast to keep everyone warm.

Consecration Ceremony

Just one week after opening, on 7 October 1885, the church was "consecrated." This means it was officially dedicated for religious use by the Bishop of Southwell.

Adding More to the Church

The front part of the church, called the chancel, was added later, between 1903 and 1904. The chancel is where the altar is located and where the clergy (like priests) and choir usually sit. It was dedicated on 22 March 1904 by the Bishop of Southwell.

Many parts of the chancel were gifts from families:

  • An oak screen (a decorative partition) was given by the Shaw brothers and their sister in memory of Miss Mary Shaw.
  • The pulpit (where sermons are given) was a gift from the family of Mr. James Bates.
  • The lectern (a stand for reading scriptures) was given by Mrs. R. Jefferson to remember her parents.
  • The beautiful oak reredos (a screen behind the altar), choir stalls, and clergy stalls were designed by Messrs. Jones and Willis.
  • Even the floor tiles in the chancel, which were green and blue, came from Rust of London.

The Church Organ

A Musical Addition

A large pipe organ was installed in the church by Charles Lloyd, an organ builder from Nottingham. It cost £230 at the time. The organ was first played on Easter Day in 1889. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.

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