St Werburgh's Church, Derby facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Werburgh's Church, Derby
St Werburgh's Church, Derby, showing the body of the church on the left, and the conserved tower on the right
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OS grid reference	SK 349 363
Location	Derby, Derbyshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	stwderby.org
History
Status	re-opened
Dedication	Saint Werburgh
Architecture
Functional status	Redundant
Architect(s)	Sir Arthur Blomfield (rebuilding)
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Survival, Gothic Revival
Completed	1894
Closed	1990

St Werburgh's Church is an Anglican church located on Friargate in Derby, England. It is a very old and important building. It is protected as a Grade II* listed building. This means it has special historical or architectural importance.

A famous writer, Samuel Johnson (also known as Dr. Johnson), got married here in 1735. He married Elizabeth Porter.

The church has two main parts. These are the old tower with a chapel, and the main church building. They are connected but you can't walk between them inside. The tower and old chapel are looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. You can get a key to visit them from the nearby Derby Museum and Art Gallery.

The main church building was closed for worship in 1984. But it reopened in September 2017! It is now part of the Holy Trinity Brompton Church network. The church holds services every Sunday. They meet at 10:30 AM and 6:30 PM. The music style is modern.

A Look at the Church's History

This church has been around since the Middle Ages. The oldest part you can still see today is the tower. It was rebuilt between 1601 and 1608. The chancel, which is the part of the church near the altar, was built in 1699.

Most of the church was rebuilt later, from 1893 to 1894. It was made from stone from a place called Coxbench quarry. The architect who designed this rebuilding was Sir Arthur Blomfield. He used a style called Gothic Revival. This style looks like the churches from the 15th century.

The church closed its doors for worship in 1984. Its local area then joined with another church, St Alkmund's. Some special memorials were moved into the chancel. Also, some beautiful stained glass windows were moved to All Saints' Church, Turnditch.

In 1990, the church was officially declared "redundant." This meant it was no longer needed for regular worship. The main part of the building was then used for other things. It was an indoor market for a while. It was even a Chinese restaurant! But then it closed for seven years. Finally, on September 17, 2017, St Werburgh's reopened as a church again.

The tower and chancel were given to the Churches Conservation Trust in 1989. The tower was fixed up in 2004. It has a special chapel inside called the "Johnson Chapel."

Samuel Johnson's Wedding

Samuel Johnson married Elizabeth Porter on July 9, 1735. Elizabeth, also called "Tetty," was a wealthy widow. Samuel was 25 years old, and Elizabeth was 46. Neither of their families were very happy about the marriage. Their marriage lasted until Elizabeth passed away in 1752.

Church Design and Features

The church's tower is built in a style called Gothic Survival. This style keeps some older Gothic looks. The chancel, built in 1690, is now used as a side chapel.

Inside, you can see many of its original features. There's an amazing wrought iron cover for the baptismal font. It was made by a famous ironsmith named Robert Bakewell. The reredos, which is a screen behind the altar, has panels. These panels show the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Apostles' Creed. Above the reredos, you can see the royal coat of arms from the time of Queen Anne.

The church also has beautiful stained glass windows. These were made by the studio of Charles Eamer Kempe. There is also a monument from 1832. It was created by a sculptor named Francis Leggatt Chantrey.

The chancel has a special war memorial on the wall. It was made by Arthur George Walker. It's a bronze figure of Christ with his arms open. Below it is a plaque. The plaque says "Remember 1914–1918" and lists the names of 47 men. It also says, "Blessed are the Peacemakers."

The Church Organ

St Werburgh's Church had an organ as early as 1750. A new organ was installed in 1841. It was made by John Gray. Later, in 1872, another new organ was put in. This one was made by Walker and Sons of London.

Over the years, this organ was repaired and made bigger several times. By 1905, it had four keyboards and 47 different sounds. In 1989, the organ was sold to another church. This church was All Saints in Newton Heath, Greater Manchester. However, the organ was never actually installed there.

See also

• List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in the English Midlands
• Grade II* listed buildings in Derby
• Listed buildings in Derby (Arboretum Ward)