St Matthew's Church, Pentrich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Matthew’s Church, Pentrich |
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St Matthew’s Church, Pentrich (photograph by Revcarole)
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| Location | Pentrich |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Matthew |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Pentrich |
| Deanery | Alfreton |
| Archdeaconry | Chesterfield |
| Diocese | Diocese of Derby |
St Matthew's Church is a very old and important church located in Pentrich, Derbyshire, England. It is part of the Church of England and is considered a "Grade I listed" building. This means it's a special historical building that needs to be protected because of its age and importance.
Contents
History of St Matthew's Church
This church is very old, built way back in the 12th century (the 1100s!). It has several main parts: a central area called the nave, side sections known as north and south aisles, a small entrance room called a porch, and the chancel where the altar is. It also has a short tower with a special top that looks like castle walls, called an embattled tower.
Restoration and Reopening
The church was carefully repaired and updated between 1859 and 1860. This process is called restoration. It officially reopened its doors on March 28, 1860, ready for people to use again.
The Ancient Font
Inside the church, you'll find a font, which is a large basin used for baptisms. The base of this font is dated 1662. However, the bowl part of the font has decorations that are typical of the Norman period, which was much earlier. Interestingly, during the 1800s, the bowl was actually missing from the church and was used for salting beef!
The Old Mass Dial
On the outside wall of the south chancel, there's a special old marking called a scratch dial or mass clock. This was used in the past to tell the time for church services by looking at the sun's shadow.
Beautiful Stained Glass
St Matthew's Church has some lovely stained glass windows. These are windows made from many small pieces of colored glass, often showing pictures or patterns.
- In the east end of the south aisle, there is stained glass made by a famous company called Morris & Co..
- On the north wall of the chancel, there is another beautiful stained glass window created by Christopher Whall in 1915.
Memorials to Remember
Inside the church, you can find memorials, which are special plaques or monuments that remember people who have passed away.
- One memorial is for Edward Horn, who died in 1764.
- Another memorial remembers Madam Mower, who passed away in 1776.
The Church Organ
The church has a pipe organ, which is a large musical instrument that makes sound by pushing air through many pipes. This organ was built in 1860 by a company called Forster and Andrews. You can find detailed information about this specific organ on the National Pipe Organ Register, which is a list of organs across the country.
See also
- Grade I listed churches in Derbyshire
- Grade I listed buildings in Derbyshire
- Listed buildings in Pentrich
