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Listed Building record MDR405 - St Matthew's Church, Church Street, Hayfield

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

St. Matthew's Church, Hayfield, was rebuilt in 1818 and only the arch that formerly opened from the tower into the nave remains of the old church said to date from 1386. (1) The church at Hayfield, dedicated to St Matthew, consists of chancel, nave, with side aisles, and tower at the west end, containing a peal of six bells. Above a low doorway, on the north side, is preserved the date of the original erection '1386'. The original chapel, having become very ruinous, was rebuilt on the foundation of the old one by 1818. The new floor was raised several feet, and the pillars of the side aisles were shortened to about six feet to act as props for the timbers that support it. The new church is in Gothic style, but displays the absence of taste that characterizes the buildings of the early part of the 19th century. (2) In normal use [1965]. (3) Rebuilt 1818 on the foundations of a medieval predecessor. The floor is supported on the bases of the nave arcades with the lower part of the columns intact and visible in the crypt. (4) Only the arch from the tower to the nave remains of the old church, said to date from 1386, possibly as a chapel of ease. It was possibly enlarged or rebuilt in 1405. (5) This church has foundations dating to 1386. The tower was built in 1793. The church was rebuilt in 1817-18 by Bradbury and Rangeley, and the tower raised in 1894. It is built of coursed, squared gritstone with quoins. It has flush gritstone dressings. There is a coved cornice with embattled stone parapets. It comprises of nave with galleries, an integral western tower, and a small eastern chancel bay. The south elevation has four steps to a wide doorcase with moulded imposts and a keystone. It has double studded doors. The west elevation has a central, slightly advanced, five stage tower. The tower has a stringcourse band at the base of twin semi-circular headed bell openings with Y tracery. Over, is a coved stringcourse and 1894 ashlar work. The fifth stage has clock faces to all sides, surmounted by a coved stringcourse and embattled parapets with finials. There is a modern extension in the northwest corner. The interior has wooden galleries with fielded panels to the north, south and west, supported by thin quatrefoil cast iron columns and corbels decorated by a flower head. There is a moulded pointed arch to chancel, and original box pews under the north and south galleries. The area under the western gallery has been boxed off. The church has late 19th century stained glass to the lower nave windows and chancel. There is a fine wall memorial to John Hague, dated I786, of owed white marble inscribed plaque set in yellow marble. The white marble surround is carved with classical motifs, and a Classical cornice above is surmounted by bust by Bacon. Below in the crypt, there are bases and part columns of the 1386 church. (6)

Sources/Archives (6)

  • <1> Bibliographic reference: Cox, J C. 1877. Notes on the Churches of Derbyshire, Vol. III. pp 214-6.
  • <2> Bibliographic reference: Bulmer, T and Co.. 1895. History, Topography and Directory of Derbyshire. pp 182-3.
  • <3> Personal Observation: F1 JB 20-AUG-65.
  • <4> Bibliographic reference: Pevsner, N. 1979. The Buildings of England: Derbyshire. 2nd ed., revised. p 241.
  • <5> Index: North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust (NDAT). North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust Index. 1212.
  • <6> Listed Building File: Historic England. 2011. The National Heritage List for England. List entry number 1088001, UID Ref: 82082.

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SK 0369 8696 (28m by 14m) (Centre)
Civil Parish HAYFIELD, HIGH PEAK, DERBYSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

  • EDR1254

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Record last edited

Oct 9 2020 2:53PM

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