St Peter's Church, Derby - Church History

Church History

First recorded around the reign of Edward the Confessor, around 1042 onwards, the church is recorded, along with three other churches in Derby, in the Domesday Book of 1086.

In 1137 the church came under the jurisdiction of the Abbots of nearby Darley Abbey until the mid 17th century and the dissolution of the monasteries. Rebuilding in 1338 instigated by the first curate, John de Crich, saw the south aisle and Chantry added. Although significantly rebuilt around 1350 in the decorated style the church retains Norman features at the eastern end of the church on the east wall of the nave and the arcade responds. Five light windows survive in the south and north aisles from the 14th century. The church is the only medieval church remaining in the city centre.

The original high-pitched roof was lowered in 1509, the walls over the nave arcades raised and clerestory windows inserted. The chancel arch was widened and the east end was shortened by a bay and a new east window installed. The tower was also rebuilt at this time. The bells, a familiar sound to Derbians, were cast and hung around 1636 and are still in regular use, one having never needed recasting.

The late 18th century saw galleries added to the nave but, in 1852 the chancel was restored and the pews, along with the impropriator's (lay rector's, see Chancel repair liability) gallery removed. Plaster was also removed and old roof timbers exposed. In the same decade the chancel and aisles were again restored and the large galleries at the west end of the nave removed. 1865 saw the south porch removed, the organ chamber made at the east end of the north aisle. In 1898, the west end of church and tower rebuilt were entirely rebuilt with great sympathy for the existing ancient east end of the church. In 1970, the present church and parish rooms, including meeting rooms, coffee rooms, office, kitchen and toilet facilities were added to the west end below the tower.

Read more about this topic:  St Peter's Church, Derby

Famous quotes containing the words church and/or history:

    It is time that the Protestant Church, the Church of the Son, should be one again with the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of the Father. It is time that man shall cease, first to live in the flesh, with joy, and then, unsatisfied, to renounce and to mortify the flesh.
    —D.H. (David Herbert)

    This is the greatest week in the history of the world since the Creation, because as a result of what happened in this week, the world is bigger, infinitely.
    Richard M. Nixon (1913–1995)