Listed Building record MDR4735 - St Matthew's Church, Morley
Type and Period (1)
- CHURCH (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
St. Matthew's Church, Morley, "…consists of nave, north and south aisles, which are continued eastwards and chancel chapels, chancel, south porch, and tower surmounted by a spire, at the west end … When the church was restored in 1850, it was found that the Norman arcades of the nave, … had been formed by cutting through the original nave walls, which were of an earlier date. This masonry must have been of Saxon or very early Norman times, as the present arcades are of the time of Stephen, or the beginning of the reign of Henry II…. The three-light window of the chancel … and other details .. Especially the south window of two lights .. Are all of the Decorated period.. Up to the time of this extension … of the chancel, the fabric of the church would seem to have remained untouched, as the Norman style left it, ; The style of architecture of the tower, and… the older work of the aisles, is … that which prevailed about the close of the Decorated and beginning of the Perpendicular period … [The] north aisle was enlarged and rebuilt in the sixteenth century, .. Within the porch is a Decorated doorway…The porch…is also Decorated work… The tower is of incipient Perpendicular character …" Five windows, of Perpendicular style, from Dale Abbey are inserted in the north aisle of the church. (1)
The church was in normal use in 1966. (2)
The Church of St. Matthew is a largely 14th century parish church, consisting of a nave with aisles, a chancel with chapels, and a west tower. It also has a 15th century clerestory, and some 13th century parts. It has a rich collection of medieval and later monuments to the Sacheverell and other families. There are fine, but restored, 15th century painted glass windows from Dale Abbey; and many other features. (3)
St Matthew's Church, Morley, is important in several ways, for its architecture, its monuments and its stained glass. It stands away from the village, but close to the large stone Tithe Barn and dovecote of the former Hall. The oldest part of the church is the Norman south arcade of two bays with circular pier with scalloped capital and unmoulded arch. The north arcade has the same piers but very elementary moulded capitals, probably of the early 13th century. The chancel seems to be early 14th century, as does the south porch with its handsome external doorway. The rest of the building history is exceptionally well documented by brass inscriptions. There are many original floor tiles in the north chancel chapel, which was built c.1370. The stained glass came to Morley from Dale Abbey at the time of the Dissolution. (4)
The bells in St Matthew's Church are historically significance. Dated to circa 1450, the bells were made by the York Foundary. (6)
Sources/Archives (6)
- <1> SDR11672 Bibliographic reference: Cox, J C. 1879. Notes on the Churches of Derbyshire, Vol IV. p 324.
- <2> SDR6363 Personal Observation: F1 JB 10-OCT-66.
- <3> SDR5288 Bibliographic reference: DOE (HHR) S.E.Derby. RD Dec. 1960 2 2.
- <4> SDR12891 Bibliographic reference: Pevsner, N. 1979. The Buildings of England: Derbyshire. 2nd ed., revised. pp 283-5.
- <5> SDR15519 Index: TPAT. 2136. 2136.
- <6> SDR23468 Unpublished document: Church of England. 2007. Identification of bells and bell frames of historic significance.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 3966 4093 (23m by 19m) Centre |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | MORLEY, EREWASH, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (1)
- EDR972
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External Links (0)
Record last edited
Jan 26 2024 4:28PM