Tuesday, July 30, 2013

St Mary's Church, Wirksworth

One of my favourite places in Derbyshire is the little town of Wirksworth.  It lies at the head of the Ecclesbourne valley surrounded by the quarries on which its wealth was built.  Its main streets, which climb up out of the town centre, are full of fascinating old buildings in which are housed some interesting and individual shops, cafes and bistros.


Just behind one of the main streets, in its own little close, lies the parish church of St Mary.  The present building which dates from the 13th century was built on or near the remains of an earlier church.  The church, like many others was restored c.1870 by Sir Gilbert Scott.

 
The inside of the church feels both warm and light and airy with its beautiful stained glass windows and tiled floors.



There are two fonts

the one above was placed in the church in 1662 the one below dates from around 1250


and some interesting monuments to the local great and good

The tomb of Sir Anthony Lowe, gentleman of the bedchamber to both Henry VII, Henry VIII and Edward VI.  Below the brass memorial to Thomas Blakewell and his wife Maud.

below the tomb of Sir Anthony Gell who established a grammar school and alms houses in Wirksworth


There are lots of what remains of stone carvings, some of them Saxon, including

The Wirksworth Stone, which was found face down two feet below the surface when the pavement in front of the alter was being moved in 1820.  It had been used to cover a grave containing a large, perfect human skeleton and is thought to date from the late 7th century.

Above is a carving known as 'T'owd Man' which, according to both the church guide and an information panel at the nearby National Stone Centre, is said to be one of the oldest depictions of a lead miner to be found anywhere in the world.

I'll be back with more about Wirksworth and its environs in another post.

18 comments:

  1. I love Wirksworth too. I've never visited the church but from your post, it looks worth a look next time I'm there.

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    1. It has some interesting early features inside and out. It was also a lovely quiet and cool retreat from the sun:)

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  2. The stone carvings are fascinating! They look so primitive. I would have loved to unearth the Wirksworth stone - what a wonderful discovery!!! x

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    1. Yes, they were fascinating especially 't'owd man' - the Wirksworth stone seems to depict stories from the new testament:)

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  3. Such a pretty church with such an interesting history. What amazing carvings! I love all the old titles like Gentleman of the Bedchamber! x

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    1. It is a fascinating place. He also served both Mary I and Elizabeth I but not in the same capacity I expect! He must have been a loyall and trusted servant all through his life and seen such turbulent changing times:)

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  4. Wirksworth is an interesting place and I enjoyed seeing your photos of the church. Our daughter-in-law exhibited in the church a year or two ago during the Arts Festival when her work was based on its history and I'm looking forward to another post soon.

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    1. I think I saw the posters for this year's festival in September and I'd like to go back and see the exhibits then:)

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  5. The Saxon Carvings are fabulous, I would spend ages looking at those alone. I wonder who the Wirksworth stone covered. And well done to Sir Anthony Lowe who managed to survive those difficult kings!

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    1. I've googled the stone for more information but it isn't known who was under it,some think it may have been the founder of the first church on that site. Some historians think that it may have been turned over to save the carvings during the reformation:)

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  6. Glad to see you are out and about again, and hope you are feeling much better. Jx

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    1. Thanks Jessica, out and about but not entirely better! I'm still waiting on results ond have good and not so good days but I'm trying to carry on as normal when I can:)

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  7. I love old churches. It's not often you can get to go inside these days as most of them tend to be locked up for fear of vandals and suchlike. It's a pity but I suppose it makes sense. I love the history behind your one Rosie and the stone carvings are amazing.
    Patricia x

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    1. The carvings are very special aren't they? It is a shame that some churches have to be kept locked during the day as it is nice just to be able to pop inside and take a look as so much history of a place can be learned from them:)

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  8. I love to visit old churches and to think about the generations of people who have worshipped in them. There is something very peaceful about the atmosphere in them too. This looks like a particularly fine example and is in an area with which I am unfamiliar.

    In 2012 I visited St Mary's Church in Whitby, which always fascinates me with its boxed pews and the pulpit towering above the seats of the congregation. Walking around the aisles with their uneven surfaces worn by the feet of past visitors and parishioners and marvelling at the beauty and majesty of a building which has been battered by the elements over generations, then wandering in the graveyard on the cliff top. I can almost smell that salty sea air...

    Marie x

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    1. I love that church up on the hill at Whitby it's very atmospheric for many reasons, those box pews are wonderful and its proximity to the sea and the Dracula connection make it really special:)

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  9. Gosh that was fascinating and as for those stone carvings, how amazing! x

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    1. Thanks, Suzy - the carvings were very interesting:)

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