Listed Building record MDR9989 - St Swithin's Church, Main Road, Holmesfield
Type and Period (2)
- CHAPEL OF EASE (Medieval to Tudor - 1066 AD to 1505 AD)
- PARISH CHURCH (Georgian to Mid 20th Century - 1826 AD to 1961 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
Bulmer records a chapel of St. Swithin being built at an early date, in the Norman style, with a side aisle. It was taken down in 1826 and the present church was built on the site. (1-2)
Holmesfield was an ancient parochial chapelry of Dronfield. It is described in the Parliamentary Survey of 1650 as a 'chappell of ease', although it was possessed of an independent endowment, to the amount of forty acres of glebe land. A will dated 1505 makes it clear that the chapel was dedicated to St Swithin. The curate of the chapel died in the plague of 1609 and was buried in Holmesfield chapel yard. In 1819 it was described as 'a very antient building and so ruinous it must be wholly taken down and rebuilt'. The present St Swithin's was built on its site in 1826. (3)
This parish church was built in 1727, with additions in 1826, 1895 and 1961. It is built of coursed squared coal measures sandstone, with quoins, a coped gable with cross finial to the chancel, and slated roof coverings. It comprises west tower, 20th century tower porch, nave, chancel, and vestry. The two-stage tower has flat bands delineating stages. The first stage has a single-light, pointed-arched window within a chamfered surround. The second stage has a clock face and embattled added parapet with crocketed pinnacles, incorporating a central segmental-headed plaque bearing the date 1826. A 20th century gabled lean-to porch encloses the original entrance, with a quoined surround, massive lintel and a planked door with glazed light to the centre. There is a gabled vestry and a Sunday school that have been added to the north side. The interior retains a gallery with pews, supported on thin circular iron columns, with a stone access stair within the tower. The interior fittings are largely 19th century. (6)
Although the Listing description gives a date of 1727, this is unlikely since the church was described as being ruinous in 1819. (7)
Sources/Archives (7)
- <1> SDR10000 Index: North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust (NDAT). North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust Index. 3069.
- <2> SDR3507 Bibliographic reference: Bulmer, T and Co.. 1895. History, Topography and Directory of Derbyshire. p 246.
- <3> SDR11673 Bibliographic reference: Cox, J. 1875. Notes on the Churches of Derbyshire, Vol. I. pp 215-217.
- <4> SDR19758 Unpublished document: May, R (ARCUS). 2004. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment of St. Swithin's Churchyard, Holmesfield, Derbyshire.
- <5> SDR19757 Unpublished document: Lewis, B (TPAU). 2006. Archaeological Evaluation at St. Swithin's Church, Holmesfield, Derbyshire.
- <6> SDR19551 Listed Building File: Historic England. 2011. The National Heritage List for England. Ref: 79646.
- <7> SDR20769 Personal Observation: Manning, N. Personal observation, map evidence, field visit etc..
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 32063 77692 (29m by 15m) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | HOLMESFIELD, NORTH EAST DERBYSHIRE, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
- EDR1916
- EDR1915
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External Links (0)
Record last edited
Jan 17 2024 3:41AM