Listed Building record MDR5739 - St Lawrence's Church, Church Street, Heanor and Loscoe

St Lawrence's Church, Church Street, Heanor and Loscoe, originally a 15th century building. 'There was a church at Heanor at the time of the Domesday Survey, and in the 11th century it was granted to Burton Abbey [(Staffs). Henry, Lord Grey of Codnor, appropriated the great tithes of Heanor Church to the neighbouring Abbey of Dale in 1473. In the Valor Ecclesiasticus (27th Henry VIII), the church was valued at £26.13.4. per annum. 'There is nothing left of the old church … dedicated to St. Michael, except the fine west tower (the pinnacles of which are modern…. On a board in the tower it is recorded that "This church was restored in 1868 … Date of tower 1454. Probable date of old church, twelfth century". We have failed to learn on what authority this precise date is given. It seems more probable that the tower would be rebuilt about 1473-4, when the church was given to Dale Abbey'. The old church consisted of nave, south aisle and chancel, 58' by 12'5"; 52' 10" by 10' 9", and 31'4" by 7' 9" respectively. 'Some of the work may have been early English, but the church was certainly repaired in the Decorated period, and also considerably remodelled during the Perpendicular style at the time the tower was built. It therefore follows that the statement on the board in the tower, about the old church being of the twelfth century is rather misleading, as twelfth century work, unless otherwise specified; is generally understood to be Norman'. Kelly's Directory states that the church was dedicated to St Lawrence, but there is no evidence for this, and it was certainly dedicated to St. Michael in 16th century.' (1) 'Heanor Church was entirely rebuilt in 1868. It was dedicated to "St Laurence".' (2) According to Burton there is a considerable amount of historical documentary evidence to prove that the church of Heanor had no connection at all with Burton Abbey, and that the church actually granted to the Abbey was another of very similar name, but lying in the parish of Mickleover. (3) The church is dedicated to St Lawrence. The dedication to St Michael presumably arose after the body of the church was rebuilt in 1868. (4) A church is recorded at Heanor in 1086 but the first datable evidence of a stone building is a mid-12th century tympanum decorated with incised chevrons. The later medieval church was predominantly Gothic with later remodelling. It experienced gradual decline and in 1868 the church, with the exception of the 15th century tower, was demolished. In 1981, prior to partial demolition and rebuilding of the Victorian successor, excavations were carried out in the nave and the chancel. The earliest phase, represented by pitched stone footings, was interpreted as indicating a sizeable church of Anglo-Saxon or Norman date. This was completely replaced by the Gothic church, of which three phases were identified. (5-6) From the National Heritage List for England: 'SK 44 NW HEANOR AND LOSCOE CHURCH STREET, Heanor (north side) 6/26 Church of St Lawrence 25.11.63 II* Parish church. C15, 1866-8 by Stevens and Robinson, east end demolished and south aisle rebuilt c1980 by Prof Kenneth Murton. Ashlar with asbestos slate roof. West tower, nave with north and south aisles, and north-west vestry. C15 three stage west tower has stepped angle buttresses to eaves height and deep moulded plinth. C19 west door has pointed moulded arch on thin colonnettes with quatrefoils in the spandrels and diaperwork frieze with crenellated top flanked by gableted pilasters. Above, a large pointed 3-light window with C19 Perpendicular tracery. Second stage has clockfaces to all but east side and a chamfered single light opening to south. Bell stage has tall paired pointed 2-light mullioned and transomed openings to each side. Coved eaves band and embattled parapets with crocketed corner pinnacles above. C19 single storey vestry attached to north has flat headed 3-light window to west with cusped lights and hoodmould, also Tudor arched northern door and moulded copings to parapets. North aisle has four 2-light shallow arched windows with intersecting Perpendicular style tracery and hoodmoulds with foliage bosses. Stepped buttresses between and to either end, also moulded sill band. Vestry beyond to east with canted plan, north window similar to aisle windows, circular window with quatrefoil tracery to east and a 2-light flat headed window with ogee headed lights to north-east. Chancel demolished, now with C20 glazed screen across full width of east end. South aisle also rebuilt, glazed screens between stone piers and moulded pointed C19 doorcase to western end. Above a glazed clerestory. C19 2-light window to west wall of south aisle. Interior has three bay C19 north arcade of moulded pointed arches on octagonal piers with moulded capitals and C15 tall chamfered tower arch with soffit mould on corbels. C19 stone circular font to nave with carved font cover. Windows have some re-used C19 stained glass. Selection of good wall memorials, one fine marble pedimented one to Prudence Burton died 1676 and another marble one to William Parkes and wife who dies 1628 and 1626. Simple slate memorials of 1641 and 1678, also fine memorial with swags and cherubs in tower with illegible inscription, possibly to Samuel Watson, woodcarver of Chatsworth fame, who was born in Heanor. 1803 monument to John Sutton by White Watson, descendant of Samuel. Other memorials of early C19, late C19 and C20. Listing NGR: SK4358146440.' (7)