Listed Building record MDR4942 - Church of St Matthew, off Main Road, Pentrich

Church of St Matthew, off Main Road, Pentrich, originally a 12th century building. 'The Church at Pentrich dedicated to St Matthew, consists of a nave, north and south aisles, porch, chancel and short embattled tower at the west end. The circular arches and pillars, separating the nave from the aisles, are late Norman, dating to about 1150, and are the oldest parts of the church. The small round arched door from the nave to the tower is Norman, and the lower part of the tower itself is probably part of the original building. The whole church seems to have been renovated and enlarged in the Perpendicular style, probably about 1430. In 1859, the church was restored, and other alterations were made in 1875. In 1175, the Church of Pentrich was given to the canons of Darley by Ralph Fitz Stephen, the probable founder of the church.' (1-2) 'The church, dedicated to St Matthew, is an ancient edifice of stone, consisting of chancel, nave, north and south aisles, south porch, and a western tower. The latter is surmounted by an embattled parapet, as also are the nave, south aisle, and south porch, which gives the edifice a beautiful and imposing aspect. There is no record of its foundation, but it was in existence in 1175. It was then a Norman church, and the five semicircular arches on each side of the nave doubtlessly belonged to it. The font is also of the same date, although it rests on a modern shaft, inscribed 1662. This relic was discovered about 45 years ago [circa 1850] in the cellar of a house at Ripley. The Perpendicular Gothic style characterises the rest of the church, from which it is inferred that the fabric was largely restored and enlarged about the middle of the 15th century. Alterations and restorations were carried out in the second half of the 19th century. The tower contains five bells, two having been added in 1869. The oldest one, evidently pre-Reformation, bears the invocation: 'Ave Maria Gratia plena' (Hail Mary full of Grace).' (4) 'Pentrich church, which is dedicated to St Matthew, has late 12th century or c1200 arcades and the lower part of the tower is of the same period. The remainder of the church is Perpendicular in style.' (5) 'Two bells in St Matthew's are of historical significance. One made in c1580 was founded by H Dand of Nottingham and another dating from c1520 was made by the Seliok family of Nottingham.' (6) From the National Heritage List for England: 'SK 35 SE 4/85 PARISH OF PENTRICH MAIN STREET Church of St Matthew 13-02-67 I Anglican Church. C12 with extensive remodelling and additions in late C14 and early C15, and restored in 1859. Coursed rubble sandstone with ashlar gritstone dressings and ashlar gritstone to later additions. Leaded roof coverings with coped gables. West tower; nave with clerestory, north and south aisles, south aisle porch, chancel and vestry. Square C12 tower, raised and re-quoined in C14, rising off a shallow plinth, with angle buttresses with set-offs added. Three stage tower, with ashlar crenellations to parapet. Two-light Perpendicular bell stage windows with ogee heads to lights below a flat lintel, slit windows to first and second stages. Perpendicular porch with raking crenellations to gable, above a moulded string. Stepped chamfered archway to door with hoodmould and stops, and with a trefoil headed niche above, with C20 statuary. Two-light chamfer mullioned window to east wall. South aisle, with shallow stepped buttresses between windows a two- and a three-light ogee leaded window beneath a flat lintel. Diagonal buttress to south east corner, and two-light window matching side wall openings to east end. Crenellated parapet above moulded string to clerestory, with five two-light windows, with recessed chamfer mullions with cinquefoil heads to lights, beneath a continuous string course delineating parapet which drops down as a hoodmould pendant finials to define the opening. Chancel south wall with two three-light windows beneath segmental heads flanking elaborate ogee-headed hood to four-centred arched doorway with moulded surround. Stepped diagonal buttress to corner. East window of five-lights, beneath depressed pointed arch. C19 vestry to chancel north wall with chamfered pointed arched doorway beneath hoodmould at east end. North aisle windows of two- and three-lights in earlier rubble masonry with ogee headed lights within flat headed surrounds, beneath chamfered eaves band. Doorway with quoined surround beneath hoodmould with stops. Smaller two-light window to west end. INTERIOR: single-chamfer, pointed tower arch. Five bay nave arcades, with circular piers and simply moulded circular capitals of two designs, with water holding mould to bases, standing on square pads. Simple hoodmould to semicircular chamfered arcade arches. South aisle terminates at a respond in the chancel wall, the north arcade at an impost. Pointed chancel arch rises from semicircular imposts of earlier chancel arch, with double chamfer. Romanesque font with arcade moulding to rim, on pedestal dated 1662. Window to chancel north wall with three-light painted glass window by C.W Whall, c.1915. East end of south aisle has painted glass by Morris and Company. Wall monuments to chancel north wall to Edward Horn d.1764, and Madam Mower d.1776. Listing NGR: SK3894852575.' (7)