St Michael with St Mary's Church, Melbourne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Michael with St Mary’s Church, Melbourne |
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St Michael with St Mary’s Church, Melbourne
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| 52°49′15.45″N 1°25′27.12″W / 52.8209583°N 1.4242000°W | |
| Location | Melbourne, Derbyshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | melbourneparishchurch.org.uk |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Michael and St Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 144 feet (44 m) |
| Bells | 12 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Melbourne |
| Deanery | Melbourne |
| Archdeaconry | Derby |
| Diocese | Diocese of Derby |
St Michael and St Mary's Church is a very old and important church located in Melbourne, Derbyshire, England. It is a parish church for the local community and belongs to the Church of England. This church is so special that it has a 'Grade I listed' status. This means it's considered one of the most important historic buildings in England.
Contents
History of St Michael and St Mary's Church
This church has been around for a very long time! It was already here when the famous Domesday Book was written in 1086. The Domesday Book was a huge survey ordered by William the Conqueror to record everything in England.
The building you see today was mostly built in the early 1100s. Around that time, the church in Melbourne was given to the Bishop of Carlisle.
How the Church Was Restored
Many years later, between 1859 and 1862, the church got a big makeover. A famous architect named Sir George Gilbert Scott led this important restoration work.
The church was closed for a year in 1859 while the work began. It reopened on 3 November 1860, once enough of the restoration was finished for people to use it again.
The inside of the church was completely updated. The floors in the aisles were covered with beautiful red and white stone, laid out in a diamond pattern. The area around the altar, called the chancel, got special patterned tiles from a company called Mintons.
Workers also put in a new pulpit, which is where sermons are given, and a new reading desk. They removed old plaster from the walls to show the original stonework underneath. The stone on the front of the church, facing west, was also replaced and made new.
What is a Joint Parish?
St Michael and St Mary's Church is part of a "joint parish." This means it works together with a few other churches in the area. They share resources and support each other.
The churches in this joint parish are:
Vicars of Melbourne Through Time
A vicar is a type of priest who leads a church parish. The names of the vicars who have served St Michael and St Mary's Church have been recorded for a very long time.
Records of these vicars can be found in old church books, special documents from Melbourne Hall, and the church's own registers, some of which date back to 1054! Many people have led the church community over the centuries.
The Church Organ
The church has a wonderful pipe organ that was built in the 1860s by a company called Bevington and Sons. Over the years, the organ has been updated and improved by other companies.
It was modified in 1956 by Kingsgate Davidson and Co, and again in 1981 by Nicholson & Co (Worcester) Ltd. You can find detailed information about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.
Images for kids
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Nave of the church, showing the ringing ropes in the tower crossing
See also
- Grade I listed churches in Derbyshire
- Grade I listed buildings in Derbyshire
- Listed buildings in Melbourne, Derbyshire
