St James' Church, Smisby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St James’ Church, Smisby |
|
|---|---|
St James’ Church, Smisby
|
|
| 52°46′8.12″N 1°29′9.42″W / 52.7689222°N 1.4859500°W | |
| Location | Smisby |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St James |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Smisby |
| Deanery | Melbourne |
| Archdeaconry | Derby |
| Diocese | Diocese of Derby |
St James’ Church, Smisby is a very old and important church located in Smisby, a village in Derbyshire, England. It is a parish church, which means it serves the local community. This church is part of the Church of England.
It has a special status called "Grade I listed". This means it's considered one of the most important historic buildings in England. It's protected because of its amazing history and beautiful architecture.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: Church History
St James’ Church is really old! It was built a long, long time ago, in the Middle Ages. Some parts of the church are from the 13th century (the 1200s), and other parts were added later, up to the 16th century (the 1500s). Imagine how many people have visited this church over hundreds of years!
Big Changes and Repairs
The church got a major makeover between August 1895 and May 1896. This was a big project to fix and improve many parts of the building. It officially reopened on May 22, 1896.
During this restoration, many things were updated:
- Old, worn-out wooden seats (called box pews) were taken out.
- Rotten parts of the floor were replaced.
- Plaster was removed from the walls, showing the original stone underneath.
- Stone pillars inside the church were cleaned and repaired.
- The windows and their stone frames were fixed or replaced.
- A new heating system was put in to keep everyone warm.
- New wooden floors were laid over concrete.
- Special stone from Hopton was used to repair the main part of the church (the nave), the side areas (aisles), the tower, and the entrance (porch).
- The area around the altar (the sacrarium) was repaired with marble.
- New furniture was added, including an altar table, a pulpit (where sermons are given), a lectern (for reading), and seats for the choir.
One interesting fact is that the wooden panels behind the altar came from Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle. This shows how old materials were sometimes reused in new ways.
Remembering People: Church Monuments
Inside the church, you can find special monuments. These are like memorials that help us remember important people from the past. Here are a few:
- Joan Comyn (from the 14th century)
- W Kendall (who died in 1500)
- Henry Kendall (who died in 1627)
Working Together: Parish Status
St James’ Church is part of a group of churches that work together. This is called a "joint parish." It means they share resources and support each other. The other churches in this group are:
- St Michael with St Mary's Church, Melbourne
- St Michael's Church, Stanton by Bridge
- St George's Church, Ticknall
Music in the Church: The Organ
The church has a pipe organ, which is a large musical instrument that makes sound using air blown through pipes. This organ was made by a company called J.H. Adkins. If you're interested in organs, you can find more details about this specific one on the National Pipe Organ Register.
