St Peter's Church, Snelston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter’s Church, Snelston |
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St Peter’s Church, Snelston
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| 52°59′14.15″N 1°46′11.33″W / 52.9872639°N 1.7698139°W | |
| OS grid reference | SK 15540 43332 |
| Location | Snelston, Derbyshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Peter |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Snelston |
| Deanery | Ashbourne |
| Archdeaconry | Derby |
| Diocese | Derby |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Peter's Church in Snelston is a special old church in Derbyshire, England. It's part of the Church of England and is considered a very important historical building. This means it has a special heritage status called Grade II* listed.
Contents
History of St Peter's Church
This church is very old, first built in the early 1400s. Most of the church was rebuilt in 1825. Later, in 1907, big changes were made by an architect named Charles Hodgson Fowler. Mrs. Henry Stanton paid for these updates.
Changes Made in 1907
During the 1907 changes, the main part of the church, called the nave, was made longer by about 3 meters. A new entrance was added at the west end. Above this door, a small statue of St Peter was placed in a special spot.
Inside, a larger arch was built at the entrance to the chancel, which is the area near the altar. A beautiful carved oak screen was also put in. The floor of the chancel was redone with black and white marble tiles. A new reredos, which is a decorated screen behind the altar, was added. It was made of oak wood and alabaster stone. A new room for the choir was also built.
The building work was done by Bowman and Sons. The decorations were handled by Mr. Ashforth and Mr. Bridgeman. The church officially reopened on October 16, 1907. The Bishop of Southwell attended the special service.
A Disagreement in the Church
Around 1916, there was a disagreement involving the church's rector, Revd. J.M. Trevor, and Mrs. Stanton, who lived at Snelston Hall. Mrs. Stanton and her household usually attended services and she even led the choir.
One Sunday evening in 1916, after the Rector had been ill, Mrs. Stanton told the organist she didn't want the psalms to be sung. The Rector decided to let the congregation choose. Since many people were there, he decided the psalms would be sung.
Mrs. Stanton was not happy with this decision. She stopped her yearly payment of £10 towards the organist's salary. Because of this, Mrs. Stanton and her family stopped coming to church. Many other families in the village also stayed away.
The male members of the choir, who worked for Mrs. Stanton, also stopped attending. Even the electric lights, which came from Snelston Hall, were turned off. The Rector also had trouble getting keys to the church clock and bell tower, which were kept at the Hall. Things remained difficult even when new church wardens were chosen in April 1921.
Church Community
St Peter's Church is part of a shared church community. It works together with:
Church Organ
The church has a pipe organ that was built in 1877 by a company called Gray & Davison. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Church Bells
The church tower holds three bells. One bell was made in 1635 by George Oldfield. Another was made in 1755 by Thomas Hedderley. The third bell, from 1688, was also made by George Oldfield. All three bells were re-hung, or put back in place, in 1907.
More to Explore
- Grade II* listed buildings in Derbyshire Dales
- Listed buildings in Snelston
