St. Mary's Church, Chaddesden
Encyclopedia
St Mary's Church is a Church of England
parish church
in Chaddesden
, a suburb of Derby
, England
. One of the oldest churches in the city, it is a Grade I listed building dating back to the mid 14th century.
dates from this period. The church contains a 15th century rood screen
and an unusual chalice-shaped font
which may be over 600 years old. The church has long been associated with the Wilmot family, who formerly owned much land around the then village of Chaddesden from the Mediaeval period. The monuments of several members of the family can be seen in the churchyard. The Wilmots' seat was the now demolished Chaddesden Hall, close to the church; the former grounds of the house form the modern Chaddesden Park, adjacent to St Mary's. One member of the family, Robert Wilmot, founded the almshouse
s which once stood outside the church; these are now demolished, although a hump on the ground indicate their location.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in Chaddesden
Chaddesden
Chaddesden, also known locally as Chad, is a large suburb of Derby, United Kingdom, formerly known as Cedesdene.-Cedesene village:The old village of Cedesene is situated two and a half miles east of the city...
, a suburb of Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. One of the oldest churches in the city, it is a Grade I listed building dating back to the mid 14th century.
Description
St Mary's was rebuilt by Henry Chaddesden, Archdeacon of Leicester, in approximately 1347; the chancelChancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
dates from this period. The church contains a 15th century rood screen
Rood screen
The rood screen is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron...
and an unusual chalice-shaped font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
which may be over 600 years old. The church has long been associated with the Wilmot family, who formerly owned much land around the then village of Chaddesden from the Mediaeval period. The monuments of several members of the family can be seen in the churchyard. The Wilmots' seat was the now demolished Chaddesden Hall, close to the church; the former grounds of the house form the modern Chaddesden Park, adjacent to St Mary's. One member of the family, Robert Wilmot, founded the almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
s which once stood outside the church; these are now demolished, although a hump on the ground indicate their location.