St Mary's Church, Ilkeston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary’s Church, Ilkeston |
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St Mary’s Church, Ilkeston
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| 52°58′14.61″N 1°18′32.95″W / 52.9707250°N 1.3091528°W | |
| Location | Ilkeston |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | stmarysilkeston.co.uk |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Ilkeston |
| Deanery | Erewash |
| Archdeaconry | Derby |
| Diocese | Diocese of Derby |
St Mary's Church, Ilkeston is an old church in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, England. It belongs to the Church of England. This church is very special because it is a Grade II* listed building. This means it is an important historic building that needs to be protected. The church was built a long time ago, in the 14th century. It is sometimes called the "Mollis Chapel." This name comes from a beautiful stained glass window inside. The window shows the sun rising above a cross. A local saint helped to put this window in place.
History of the Church
St Mary's Church started around the year 1150. The oldest parts you can still see today are three arches. These arches are in the south side of the church. They were built in the late 1100s. This was when the Norman style of building was changing into the Early English style. Experts in 1855 said these arches were very special. They thought they were some of the best in England.
Another interesting part is an archway between the main altar area (chancel) and the Peter Chapel. This archway also has Early English arches. Their tops are decorated with small leaves. If you look closely, you might see tiny faces hidden in the leaves. These are sometimes called "green men of the forest."
Between the chancel and the Peter Chapel, there is a stone tomb. On top of the tomb is a statue of a knight lying down. This is the tomb of Sir Nicholas de Cantilupe, who died in 1266. He was an important person from the area. His tomb used to be in the middle of the church. People wrote about it being in the chancel in 1662 and again in 1716.
In the Middle Ages, Dale Abbey, a nearby monastery, took control of St Mary's Church. Giving churches to monasteries was a big deal. It affected money and power for the king. So, there were rules about it. In 1385, King Richard II allowed the church to be given to Dale Abbey. This was done by a group of people who were secretly working for William la Zouche. He was a powerful lord whose family had owned the church before. William wanted prayers and special church services for himself and his family at Dale Abbey.
The church's transfer caused some trouble. In 1394, Pope Boniface IX tried to put his own priest in charge of St Mary's. This went against English law. The Pope's chosen priest, John de Aston, even tried to take over the church. He was arrested and put in prison. After he got out, he tried again to seize the church with some friends. The local bishop asked the king for help. The problem finally ended during the time of King Henry IV.
Later, the manor (land) of Ilkeston was given to John Savage (soldier) by King Henry VII. This was because John Savage helped him win a big battle. The previous owner had supported the other side. This didn't change the church right away. It stayed with Dale Abbey until the king closed down all the monasteries. After that, the Savage family was able to buy the church.
In 1608, the church was sold to Sir John Manners. His family then helped choose the priests for the church. During a time called the Commonwealth (around 1650), some people thought the church's priest, Mr. Fox, was not doing a good job.
The tall spire on the church tower was hit by lightning in 1714. It was destroyed.
The church had a lot of repair work done between 1853 and 1855. This work was led by Thomas Larkins Walker. The sides of the church were rebuilt. A new chapel was built to hold almost 300 children. The tower was also repaired. New seats, flooring, heating, and lights were added. The church reopened on October 18, 1855.
More changes happened between 1909 and 1910. The west end of the church was made bigger. The tower was carefully taken apart stone by stone and then rebuilt. It looks the same today as it did after this work. The church was reopened for services on September 20, 1910. The Bishop of Southwell led the ceremony.
The Organ
The church has a special organ built in 1831. It was first in another church in London. It is said that a famous composer named Mendelssohn once played this organ. You can find more details about the organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Organists
- Cecil Wyer was an organist here starting in 1919.
The Bells
St Mary's Church has eight bells. The heaviest bell weighs about 17 hundredweight (which is about 860 kilograms). These bells were remade by John Taylor of Loughborough in 1910. In 2015, they were repaired and rehung so they could be rung again.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Erewash
- Listed buildings in Ilkeston
