St Mary's Church, Derby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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| Location | Derby, Derbyshire |
| Country |  England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | http://www.stmarysparish.co.uk/ |
| History | |
| Dedicated | 9 October 1839 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | A. W. N. Pugin |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 4 July 1838 |
| Completed | October 1839 |
| Construction cost | £1400 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Nottingham |
St Mary's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the city of Derby, England. This beautiful building is listed as Grade II*, which means it's a very important historic place. It stands on Bridge Gate, looking over St Alkmund's Way. A famous architect named A. W. N. Pugin designed the church. Many people say it's one of his best and most complete works.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
Building a New Church
The church was designed by Augustus Pugin in 1837. It was built to replace an older, smaller church nearby. Pugin was known for his "Gothic Revival" style. This meant he designed new buildings to look like the grand Gothic churches from the Middle Ages.
He first planned for the church tower to have a tall spire, about 100 feet (30 meters) high. However, there wasn't enough money to build it. So, Pugin changed his design. The final plan was ready in March 1838.
Construction and Dedication
Building work on St Mary's Church began in July 1838. The first stone was laid then. The church was finished quickly, by October 1839. A special service to dedicate the church happened on October 9, 1839. Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman gave a sermon at this event. The church cost about £1,400 to build, which was a lot of money back then! Pugin himself gave a wooden seat, called a sedilia, for the church's sanctuary.
Changes Over Time
About eight years later, a different church, St Alkmund's, was rebuilt right across from St Mary's. St Alkmund's was much bigger. It blocked the view of St Mary's from King Street for many years.
In 1850, a small chapel was added to St Mary's. It was dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes. Later, a statue of Mary was placed on the tower and lit up at night. This statue became a well-known landmark, but it has since been removed.
In 1927, parts of the church were repaired. Workers found that dampness had damaged the plaster. St Mary's was made a bit larger in 1932. This is when the Lady Chapel was built. New stone decorations were also added inside and outside the building.
Modern Era Changes
The late 1960s brought big changes to Derby. St Alkmund's Church and its churchyard were taken down. This was done to make space for a new inner ring road. For the first time in 120 years, St Mary's Church could be seen clearly from all around.
Between 1988 and 1989, the church had a major update. It was closed for over a year. During this time, new bells were added. Another big restoration happened in the late 1990s. This included fixing the roof of the Lady Chapel. The inside and outside of the church were also cleaned thoroughly.
In 2007, a new footbridge was built. This bridge, called the Saint Alkmund's Way Footbridge, helps people cross the busy A601 road. The new bridge cost £1.3 million and is wider than the old one.
Inside St Mary's Church
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The main part of the church, called the Nave.
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The Lady Chapel inside the church.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Derby
- Listed buildings in Derby (northern area)
