St John the Evangelist's Church, Derby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Evangelist’s Church, Derby |
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St John the Evangelist’s Church, Derby
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| 52°55′32.93″N 1°29′16.77″W / 52.9258139°N 1.4879917°W | |
| Location | Derby, Derbyshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St John the Evangelist |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Architect(s) | Francis Goodwin |
| Groundbreaking | 14 September 1826 |
| Completed | 1828 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St John the Evangelist, Derby |
| Deanery | Derby North |
| Archdeaconry | Derby |
| Diocese | Diocese of Derby |
St John the Evangelist's Church in Derby is a very special old church. It's a 'Grade II* listed' building, which means it's considered very important and protected because of its history and beautiful design. It's a parish church for the local community and belongs to the Church of England.
Contents
History of St John's Church
The church was designed by an architect named Francis Goodwin. The very first stone, called the foundation stone, was put in place on Thursday, September 14, 1826. The church was finished and opened in 1828.
What Does the Church Look Like?
The church has a Gothic style, which means it has features like pointed arches and tall windows, similar to old castles and cathedrals. It's shaped like a big box with four tall towers, called turrets, at each corner.
Inside, there are galleries on both sides, which are like balconies where people can sit. The rounded part at the front of the church, called the apse or chancel, was added later in 1871.
Changes and Improvements Over Time
In 1891, the chancel area was made longer by 10 feet. The floor of the chancel was also raised so that people sitting in the galleries could see better. At the same time, the church got better heating and lighting. A new stained glass window, made by a company called Ward and Hughes, was put in. The church organ was also improved by Charles Lloyd of Nottingham. All these improvements cost about £1,820 back then.
More work was done in 1902. The outside stone parts of the church were fixed, and some of the upper stonework was taken down and put back correctly. The inside of the church was also cleaned and painted, making it look fresh and new.
The Church Organ
The church has a large organ that was built in 1875 by Henry Willis. You can find all the details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Interestingly, in 1836, a company called Grey and Davidson provided a second-hand organ for £177. There's a local story that this organ came from the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, a famous theatre. This might be true because the theatre did rent an organ from Grey and Davidson until 1834. This is likely the same organ that was later improved by Lloyd and Dudgeon.
Who Were the Organists?
Many talented people have played the organ at St John's Church over the years. Here are some of them:
- J. Norton (around 1838 and 1846)
- W. H. Orme
- Charles Drew (1868 - 1886)
- Thomas Archer (1886 - 1923)
- H.E Oldfield (around 1928 to 1940)
- Frederick J. Stevenson (1944 - around 1952), who used to be an organist at St James' Church, Derby.
- John Gold..?
- Hedley Taylor (until 1962)
- Christopher Lyndon-Gee (around 1965)
- Terrence Worral (around 1968)
- TMN Whitehall (1970 - 1973), with Martyn R Warsop as his assistant.
- David S Johnson (1973 - around 1984)
- Andrew Storer (from 1995)
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Derby
- Listed buildings in Derby (northern area)
