St. Mary’s, Crich
Just along the road from the famous Tramway Museum is St. Mary’s. It is a lovely church within a well looked after churchyard. The sign outside doesn’t mention anything about being open but the church is open each day. Inside, I found a simple children’s area some cards and books for sale, a welcome leaflet and a guide book. There is also a history folder and one for the graveyard which will be of help to those researching their family tree (another big category of church visitors in my experience).
A Bible was left open and a prayer area had been set up on the top of an upturned Gopak table. What is done is much less important than that we provide facilities for prayer. This is easily portable as well.
A lot of effort has gone into commemorating WW1 here. A framed list of 436 men who served in various roles in the armed forces are listed. 70 were killed (some 16%) and this is a moving tribute to the effect that the war had on this community.
Another church that shows it is well cared for and well loved. The church website is at http://www.crichstmarys.org.uk/ and says that the church is open each day and prayers can be left.
I rate St. Mary’s as good for the purposes of this study and recommend a visit.
Holy Trinity, Tansley
Another simple church built in 1840 from local stone. It is again beautifully kept and a joy to visit. There is one of the Diocese of Derby banners outside; ‘Church open to experience and explore’. Also a welcome notice on the door. In church circles it is often assumed that when church visitors are people who go around with a copy of 1000 best churches, or John Betjeman under their arm, ticking them off as they go. There are people like that but most of our visitors are like those 4 I saw when I was in Holy Trinity. An older couple came in and sat down. They were local by their conversation and were out for a walk and this was a convenient place to rest and think. The others appeared to be similar. Only 3 entries in the visitors book in July but that is not the real story.
A free ‘Visitors Leaflet is provided and a very good ‘A Meditative walk around the Church’. Both home produced and both very good. These are both the sort of thing any church could come up with and show a real effort has gone into providing for visitors here. This is only a small church so all could do something similar.
Also, there is a pictorial record of events. Let us not forget that it is good to present the church as somewhere where people meet, worship and have fun together. A book is available to enter prayer requests into and there are ‘Why Jesus?’ and John’s Gospels available for the curious and seeking.
I rate Holy Trinity as good and this shows how simple steps can improve the welcome and experience of the church for visitors.
St. Mary the Virgin, Wirksworth
Another fine church which also features in 1000 best churches. It is open every day with a good welcome sign on the door. Inside I found a selection of prayer cards,cards (Tim Tiley ones) some multi lingual welcome leaflets and a tourist information display. A guide book is on sale and there is a laminated ‘Brief Guide’ to wander around with. This is certainly a church worth a good wander around. For children there is a ‘Treasure Trail’ which consists of a simple A4 sheet with a plan of the church and a suggested walk around, pointing out items on interest. So few churches provide anything for children who visit and it is a refreshing change to see anything but especially good when it is well done as this is. A children’s area is set up ready to use as well.
The visitor’s book showed 49 entries in July. There is much of interest here as the church shows a lot of evidence of it’s varied history. Many features of this church are labelled to explain what they are and what they are used for. We mustn’t assume that our visitors know what they are looking at!
A bible was left open and there is a votive stand to use. The First World War features in a suitable display, as many churches seem to be doing. Also a copy of the famous ‘Breeches Bible’ with it’s misprint is displayed. The living church is recognised by a display on the Wirksworth Team Ministry.
The Wirksworth stone, found under the floor in 1820 is prominent on the wall with free leaflets to explain the scenes depicted on it. It is wroth taking some time over this as it is interesting.
St. Mary’s also features the highly polished brass which is such a noticeable attribute of Derbyshire churches. I rate this church as very good.
Holy Trinity, Kirk Ireton
Not far from Idridgehay is the village of Kirk Ireton. There is a wonderful atmosphere in this church – it is funny how churches differ so much in this way.
Again, everything is spotless and well polished. The sign outside has the obligatory serve information. There is no guide to Holy Trinity and not much else really! Perhaps a place like this doesn’t need such things. It is a place to sit and enjoy the quiet and offer a prayer for whoever is on your mind. I always pray for those who worship and minister in each place – that seems important. Water is left in the font.
I don’t have much to say about Holy Trinity but there are some wonder lamps in the choir stalls! These look like they were originally oil lamps but have been converted to electricity.
This church is worth spending time in. I have to rate it as poor -simply because there is nothing to cater for visitors but the shere fact of being open. Perhaps that is enough.
St, James the Great, Idridgehay
A distinctive building with a lovely steeple that can be seen for some miles. St. James was built in 1854 – 55 by H.I Stevens. It is open each day. The sign outside only mentions Sunday services.
Inside I found another very well kept church. There is a book drop – ie swap a book for one there which is a great idea. A guide booklet, some prayer cards and some very nice ‘Alleluia, He is Risen’ cards, which looked hand made (and very well). There is a votive stand, a simple one using a tray of sand and tea lights – nothing wrong with that. The toilet wasn’t locked up either, which often seems to happen. 3 people in the visitors book.
Not a special church but a lovely one. I rate it as OK for this study. There doesn’t seem to be a website.
Christchurch, Hulland Ward
A simple little church, dating from 1838. There are some lovely slate gravestones here with beautiful copperplate writing on them. These are quite a feature in this area and remain readable for a long time.
Inside, another very well cared for church. I love the homely simplicity, whilst outside are some nice clear signs to welcome visitors, as well as some signs to the churchyard’s solitary World War 1 grave. Presumably this gunner died of wounds in the UK which is why he is buried here. A nice touch to direct people to his grave. There is a guide booklet and a very peaceful and prayerful atmosphere in Christchurch. The children of the church have a small display of their work.
This is a simple little country church with it’s own charm. I really like places like this, nothing grand but well loved and reflects the history and life of the village around it. I rate it as OK as far as this study goes. Somewhere for prayers would be good even if it was just a simple book to enter them. A great church to see though. Website at http://www.hullandchurches.org.uk – a good site but nothing on visitors though.
St. Oswald’s, Ashbourne
Ashbourne is a wonderful little town. A bakers there sells a pasty entitled ‘The Challenge’ – I was fully up to it. But back to more spiritual things.
Another magnificent church. I had been here before but hadn’t remembered just how good it is. There is much to interest the visitor here. The sign outside just mentions the Sunday services and the Vicar, something a bit more welcoming would be good and might entice more people inside. The door was open and inside there is a good bookstall with all sorts of books and much of local interest. There is a guide book to the church and a lovely leaflet entitled ‘Ten things to see before you leave St. Oswald’s today’. A good idea that I hadn’t seen before though it does appear in other Derbyshire churches. An idea worth copying.
There is some nice children’s work displayed. I always like to see this at it shows that there are children there and that their efforts are valued by the church. There were only 56 visitors in the book for July but there must be way more than that. I saw quite a few whilst I was there. People are reluctant to sign these but there are always a lot of foreign visitors entered. Is this a cultural thing?
The Boothby Chapel is full of interesting monuments which are well labelled so that visitors can understand what they are looking at. A folder is around as well listing all the many monuments in the church.
Some of the lights in the building are on PIR’s so come on as you approach certain areas.
A votive stand is available and a prayer book. The church is again spotlessly clean and the brass positively gleams. I rate St. Oswald’s as very good. Another church well worth a visit, and the bakers is pretty good too!
St. Mary & St. Barlock, Norbury
A magnificent church which sits next to The Old Hall, a National Trust property. The sign on the wall outside is a bit confusing as it lists the church and the Hall but the opening times are for the latter.St. Mary and St. Barlock is open every day. It is well worth a visit and is quite stunning, both in it’s setting and it’s interior.
There is much that is good for visitors here. Inside, there are guides and a book on the stunning glass – some of the most important in the country.
Also on sale are key rings, post cards, notelets and prayer cards. There are pictures displayed on those being married here – what a wonderful church for a wedding. The visitors book showed 29 names for July but many more than this must visit – it is 1000 best churches. Two things caught my eye – an American Book of Common Prayer open on a side altar, as well as an open Bible. The other was an excellent time line outlining the history.
There is a book for people to leave prayer requests and, as is usually the case, it is well used. We just have to give people the opportunity….
St. Barlock was either a hermit or a bishop, depending on where you look but very little is known of him. I wonder why he is celebrated here? This is a very good church for the visitor and beautifully looked after as most churches in this area seem to be. A must to go and look at!
St. Peter & St. Blaise, Somersal Herbert
Another Small Pilgrim Places Church. This one is in Derbyshire. It is open each day and there is a good welcome in the porch but nothing outside. Inside I found a guide book at £1.50 some cards and home made (?) prayer cards. Also some preserves. Only 4 people had signed the visitors book during July.
This is another place which exudes a sense of holiness. Holy water had been left in the font and there is the smell of incense lingering in the air. This is a place which gets prayed in, and not just on a Sunday.
There are some good prayer request cards which say that any request will be prayed at the next service. It is obvious that this is what happens here. Also some cards for prayer requests for a Celtic Evening Prayer.
There was an excellent leaflet that invites people to pray here and gives some suggestions.
A prayer cross also asks for prayers to be added. I added one for a person I know who is dying…
There is every opportunity to offer prayer in this place and it is an excellent place to do so. A large votive stand can be used for candles and there is a churchyard plan and a folder with biographies of World War 1 dead. Also a small library of books to borrow for quiet days or to browse. One slight oddity was a leaflet about a labyrinth – only there didn’t seem to be one, either in or out of the church ( I have recently been told that this is cut into the grass to the right of the door as you come out. I have been sent a photo of this, taken from the top of the tower and that can be seen below). There doesn’t seem to be a parish web site but there is more on http://www.achurchnearyou.com/somersal-herbert-st-peter/
An icon of St. Blaise is in the chancel-
He was one of the ‘Fourteen Holy Helpers’ and Bishop of Sebaste (in Armenia). He was martyred in the 4th century. When he was hiding from his persecutors a lady brought her son who was at the point of death as he had a fish bone stuck in his throat. St. Blaise blessed him and he was cured. He is still invoked for throat problems. An outline of his life would be good here but otherwise I rate St. Peter and St. Blaise as very good. Something for children would make it excellent. Go and see you will not be disappointed.
Labyrinth cut into the grass – a view from the top of the tower
St. Mary’s, Oldberrow
On my way to Derbyshire I took the opportunity to visit one or two churches. This is one I had been looking forward to visiting. It is a part of The Small Pilgrim Places Network ( see http://www.smallpilgrimplaces.org/). It is ideal for this. Here we have a simple, homely and prayerful place, a real ‘wayside shrine’ if you like. It was also promoted by Divine Inspiration and some of the booklets from this ‘A Pocketful of Peace’ can still be found. The funding for this project has now finished unfortunately. St. Mary’s was promoted as a part of this.
Outside some home made signs welcome the curious, the needy and the pilgrim. Those who step inside will not be disappointed. It is all very simple and none the worse for that. There was information on EXMOD Ltd who seek to help homeless ex service people (http://exmodltd.org/gpage2.html) and a small display on WW1. Some Sgm Life Words St. John’s gospels to commemorate this and a leaflet about the Small Pilgrim Places. A Book of Common Prayer was left open.
It is hard to do justice to a special place like this with just a few pictures and some words. It is a place to experience and to find peace. Some have done this as the picture of a page from the visitors book shows (9 in July) –
A special place well worth a visit. I rate it as good as far as this study goes. It would be good if there was somewhere to leave prayer requests other than the visitors book. The fact that people are doing that does show a need exists for the holiness that St. Mary’s is ideally placed to provide.
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