Listed Building record MDR5455 - All Saints Church and Vergers Farmhouse, Off The Village, Dale Abbey
Type and Period (4)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
All Saints Church and Vergers farmhouse, off The Village, Dale Abbey, orginally a 12th century complex.
'The church at Dale Abbey is dedicated to All Saints. Under the same roof, and forming part of the same building, is a dwelling house called Church House. This house was rebuilt a few years ago (written in 1895). There is an upper chamber that extends over the whole area except the chancel, and serves the purpose of a gallery. From the gallery there was formerly a door that led to the old house, which is thought to have been used as an inn for some time. Two framework screens, from which the panels have long been removed, standing at right-angles to each other, divide the aisle and chancel from the nave. The internal appearance of the church is quite eccentric, with an odd collection of pews and benches, and a rickety old oak pulpit. The origin of the church is uncertain, but there is evidence to suggest that it was the chapel erected by the 'Gomme of the Dale', and which probably adjoined the oratory built by the 'Hermit of the Depedale'. It appears to have traces of Early English work, and a few fragments of 15th century stained glass remain in the windows. The incised sepulchral slab bears the date 1532.' (3)
''All Saints', the present church of the village of Dale Abbey, is in no provable way connected with the Abbey. Its size is 26 by 25 ft and it is under the same roof with a dwelling house…. The masonry of the nave is Norman (perhaps the Chapel of Depedale, mentioned in late 12th century), the aisle was added soon after. Most of the details are Perpendicular, especially the addition of the upper story with its open timber roof'.' (4)
'The church was in use as a place of worship in 1966.' (6)
'All Saint's Church. Some Norman masonry, also wall paintings and a pulpit of 1634.' (8)
'All Saints Church at Dale Abbey is a tiny chapel dating to the 12th century. It may have been the infirmary chapel for the Abbey of St Mary. It is attached to a domestic dwelling, which was originally the Abbey infirmary, and later a village inn (during which time the bar was used as a vestry). The building is of Norman origin but was altered in 1480. The furnishings are 17th century in date. The house was rebuilt in 1883.' (9)
'The bell of All Saint Church is of historical significance, founded by E Arnold in 1798, it is a late example of the founder's work.' (10)
From the National Heritage List for England:
'SK 43 NW 5/26
PARISH OF DALE ABBEY THE VILLAGE (east side) Church of All Saints and Vergers Farmhouse
10.11.67
I Parish church and attached farmhouse. Late C12, C14, C15, 1634 and mid C19. Coursed squared gritstone with gritstone dressings, and red brick with pseudo timber-framed upper parts. Plain-tile roofs, coped gable to east. House has brick gable and lateral stacks. One and two storeys.
Church to east. Nave, chancel and south aisle. South elevation has a two storey gabled bay to right with brick to first floor and rendered gable. Small wooden bellcote above. Ground floor has a plainly chamfered round-arched doorway with studded plank door. One two-light casement window above. To the left a two-light Perpendicular window with square head.
House to the right, slightly set back, has to the ground floor a large two-light casement window. Pseudo timber-framed jettied upper floor has one two-light gabled half dormer. Entrance bay set back to right. East elevation has a gabled bay to right with a three-light shallowly pointed C14 window with cusped ogee tracery. The south side has an external staircase leading to the upper gallery.
INTERIOR: the nave and aisle are entirely covered by an upper floor or gallery. The ceiling has finely moulded beams. Stud partition between nave and aisle, with moulded upright. Stud partition to the east, in the form of a screen with three-lights either side of the entrance through to the chancel.
Box pews in the chancel and aisle. Rough open seated pews in the nave and south aisle, possibly C17. C17 pulpit, reading desk and clerk's pew, uniquely placed behind the altar. Wall paintings, late C13, on the north wall. The Annunciation, Visitation and Nativity. Restored in 1931. On the south wall an illegible painted text.
C15 octagonal stone font with shields and carved figures in high relief around the bowl. Solid base, cut away at the angles and with colonnettes. Badly worn incised tomb slab leaning against the west wall. Fragments of medieval stained glass in the tracery lights of the north window. The gallery has timber-framed walls and C19 tiered pews. Chamfered beamed ceiling. The history of the chapel is uncertain, but it may have been the infirmary and infirmary chapel of the abbey.
Listing NGR: SK4373338582.'
(11)
Sources/Archives (11)
- <1> SDR4445 Bibliographic reference: Ward, J. 1890. Dale and its Abbey. pp 77-86, plan, illus. 77-86.
- <2> SDR8020 Article in serial: Ward, J. 1891. 'Dale Church: its structural pecularities', Derbyshire Archaeological Journal. Vol 13. 174-189.
- <3> SDR3507 Bibliographic reference: Bulmer, T and Co.. 1895. History, Topography and Directory of Derbyshire. 517.
- <4> SDR190 Bibliographic reference: Pevsner, N. 1953. The Buildings of England: Derbyshire, 1st edition. 108.
- <5> SDR4204 Article in serial: Christian, R (Country Life). 1959. 'Oasis in the industrial midlands', Country Life. AUG 13, PP 24-25.
- <6> SDR6141 Bibliographic reference: F1 BHS 30-NOV-66.
- <7> SDR5186 Bibliographic reference: DOE (HHR) Dist of Erewash Derby 6 Nov 1986 21.
- <8> SDR15648 Index: Trent & Peak Archaeological Trust (TPAT). Trent & Peak Archaeological Trust Index: 2521. 2521.
- <9> SDR20951 Bibliographic reference: I A H Combes. 2004. Anglican Churches of Derbyshire. 66.
- <10> SDR23468 Unpublished document: Church of England. 2007. Identification of bells and bell frames of historic significance.
- <11> SDR19551 Listed Building File: Historic England. 2011. The National Heritage List for England. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1140436?section=official-list-entry.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | SK 43733 38582 (point) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | DALE ABBEY, EREWASH, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (1)
- EDR1510
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Record last edited
Oct 2 2025 10:27AM