St Chad's Church, Derby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Chad's Church, Derby |
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 St Chad's Church, Derby
Location in Derbyshire
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| 52°54′41.9″N 1°28′57.7″W / 52.911639°N 1.482694°W | |
| Location | Derby, Derbyshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Chad |
| Consecrated | 5 June 1882 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | H. Turner |
| Groundbreaking | 19 April 1881 |
| Construction cost | £7,000 (equivalent to £5,340,000 in 2021). |
| Closed | 1 January 1995 |
| Demolished | 1996 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 94 feet (29 m) |
| Nave width | 31.5 feet (9.6 m) |
St Chad's Church, Derby was a Church of England church located in Derby, Derbyshire, England. It was named after St Chad, an important early English saint. The church served the local community for many years before it was closed and taken down.
History of St Chad's Church
The building of St Chad's Church began on 19 April 1881. A special ceremony took place where Mr. Fitzherbert Wright laid the first stone, known as the foundation stone. The church was designed by an architect named H. Turner, who worked in London. The company that built the church was G. Hewitt, based in Derby.
The church was officially opened and blessed on 5 June 1882. This special ceremony, called a consecration, was led by Bishop Augustus Legge of Lichfield. A famous expert on buildings, Pevsner, once described St Chad's as a rock faced church with a bell tower on its east side. He also called it a typical 'railway church', which meant it was built in a style often seen near railway lines during that time.
Sadly, St Chad's Church closed its doors on 1 January 1995. The building was then taken down in 1996. After its closure, the church's community joined with three other nearby churches: St James’, St Augustine's, and St Thomas’. Together, they formed a new parish (a church area) called Walbrook Epiphany.
The Church Organ
St Chad's Church had a pipe organ, which is a large musical instrument. It was put in place in 1882 by a company called Nicholson and Lord. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register, which keeps records of organs across the country.
Organists Who Played at St Chad's
Many talented musicians played the organ at St Chad's Church over the years. Here are some of them:
- W.G. Parkinson: He played from 1882 to 1896.
- T. Herbert Bennett: He was the organist from 1896 to 1905. Before coming to St Chad's, he played at St Thomas' Church, Derby. After leaving, he became the organist at All Saints’ Church, Derby.
- Henry Ravensdale: He played from 1905 to 1914. He had previously been the organist at Darley Abbey Church.
- G.H. Boulderstone: He served as organist for a long time, from 1917 to 1945. After leaving St Chad's, he became the organist at St Peter's Church, Derby.
