St Mary's Church, Wirksworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Wirksworth |
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| 53°04′56″N 1°34′27″W / 53.08221°N 1.57404°W | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | www.wirksworthteamministry.co.uk |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Mary the Virgin |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Designated | 24 October 1950 |
| Architectural type | Perpendicular Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 142ft |
| Width | 102ft |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Wirksworth |
| Diocese | Diocese of Derby |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Mary the Virgin is a very old and important church in Wirksworth, Derbyshire. It is part of the Church of England. This church is a Grade I listed building, which means it's protected because of its special history and architecture.
Most of the church you see today was built between the 1200s and 1400s. But parts of it are even older, from the Anglo-Saxon times! This shows there has been a church on this spot since at least the 700s AD. The church was repaired in 1820 and again in 1870 by a famous architect named Sir George Gilbert Scott.
Contents
Discovering Ancient Carvings
St Mary's Church is famous for its amazing Anglo-Saxon carvings. These are artworks made by people who lived in England many centuries ago. One of the most important pieces is a large Anglo-Saxon coffin lid. It was found in 1820 under the church floor. Today, you can see it on the north wall of the main part of the church. Experts think it was made in the late 600s.
The Oldest Miner Statue
The church also has a very special Anglo-Saxon carving of a lead miner. This carving is known as "T'owd Man" (which means "The Old Man"). It is the oldest known picture of a miner anywhere in the world! It was brought to St Mary's in 1863 from a nearby church in Bonsall to keep it safe. The people of Bonsall now have a copy of it in their church.
Other Historic Artworks
You can find many other old carvings in the church, too. Many of these are small pieces of larger artworks. They have been put together and displayed in the walls of the transept (the parts of the church that stick out like arms). These include parts of old stone crosses and grave slabs, as well as figures of a wise man, a shepherd, and a bearded man's face.
Unique Church Traditions
St Mary's is one of the few churches in Britain that still performs an ancient custom called "clipping the church". This special event happens on the first Sunday after September 8th. On this day, people gather around the church and hold hands, forming a circle to "clip" or embrace the building. It's a way to show their love and connection to their church.
Keeping the Church Strong
In 2020, the roof over the main part of the church (the nave) was replaced. This was important because leaks were starting to damage the inside of the church. A traditional "topping out" ceremony was held when the roof was finished, with the Bishop of Derby attending. The church has also asked for a new poem to be written about its tower and bells.
Important Memorials
Inside the church, you can find tombs and memorials for important people from history.
The Gell Family Tombs
In the north aisle, there are the tombs of the Gell family. One tomb has a statue of Sir Anthony Gell, who died in 1583. Next to it is the simpler tomb of his father, Sir Ralph Gell.
Other Notable Burials
The chancel (the area around the altar) holds the tomb of Anthony Lowe. He was a special assistant to several kings and queens of England, including Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Mary I. He died in 1555.
You can also find a memorial to Abraham Bennet. He was an inventor who created the gold-leaf electroscope, a device used to detect electric charge. He also improved a tool called a magnetometer, which measures magnetic fields.
In the churchyard, there is the tomb of Matthew Peat. He was from Alderwasley and is said to have lived to be 109 years and 10 months old when he died in 1751!
Church Community
St Mary's Church is part of a larger group of churches in the area. It shares a parish with several other churches, including:
- All Saints' Church, Alderwasley
- St James the Apostle's Church, Bonsall
- All Saints' Church, Bradbourne
- All Saints' Church, Ballidon
- St James' Church, Brassington
- St Margaret's Church, Carsington
- All Saints' Church, Elton
- St James' Church, Idridgehay
- Holy Trinity Church, Kirk Ireton
- Holy Trinity Church, Middleton-by-Wirksworth
Church Organs
St Mary's Church has had several organs over the years to provide music for services.
In 1826, a two-manual organ was installed. It cost £400, which was a lot of money back then! It was first placed in the church tower but was moved in 1853 to a better spot in the nave.
Later, in 1899, a larger, more modern pipe organ was installed. It had three manuals (keyboards) and 26 "speaking stops" (which control different sounds). This organ was rebuilt in 1955 to use electric action.
In 1987, this pipe organ was replaced by a digital organ. This newer organ also has three manuals and 48 speaking stops, but it uses electronic technology to create the sounds.
Organists of St Mary's
Many talented musicians have played the organ at St Mary's Church. Here are some of the people who have held the position of organist:
- George Frederick Simms (until 1832)
- Thomas Reeves (1832–1860)
- Edward Birch (1860–1878)
- Nicholas Mason Day (1878–1898)
- Carl Ashover (1899–1916)
- F. Isherwood-Plummer (1920–1922)
- Edward S. Jones (around 1923–1936)
- Hingley James (1936–????)
- Harold Udall Ogdon
- Christopher Dixon (1980–present)
See also
- Grade I listed churches in Derbyshire
- Grade I listed buildings in Derbyshire
- Listed buildings in Wirksworth
