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ST. WERBURGH'S CHURCH, SPONDON, DERBY

The present church dates back to around 1390, when it was completed to
replace an earlier church destroyed by fire, along with almost the entire
village, in 1340. It is a very large church compared with the size of the
village as it was in the fourteenth century. The earlier church must have
been equally large, because the present one stands on its foundations.
Spondon is an outer suburb of the City of Derby, and the church should not
be confused with the city centre church of St. Werburgh, which at present
is semi-redundant. It stands at the top of a hill on the north side of the
River Derwent, and in the centre of the original village.

The main body of the church, both nave and chancel, along with the 35
metre high tower and spire, date to 1390, although the north wall of the
nave had been damaged by subsidence and was rebuilt in 1826. The roof
also needed replacing but the church was ruined when a very low-pitched
roof was built and the interior fitted with a flat ceiling. In 1895 this ruinous
'restoration' was finally replaced with a roof of the original pitch, the
ceiling removed and the new fine vaulted roof structure exposed.

Internally, the church has much of note, including some fine stained glass
windows of the late Victorian period and the earlier half of the twentieth
century.. It has a peal of six bells, one of which is 16th century, one 17th
and the remaining four of the 19th century. The fine organ dates from
1909, but with an electric action fitted in 1989. Adjacent to the main altar is
a recessed sedilia, nearby a priest's sanctus window and there are four
piscinas within the church. . There is a lady chapel dedicated to St. Mary,
which contains a First World War memorial. The royal arms displayed
over the north (main) door is almost unique, there being only one other
known example. It is dated between 1702 and 1707 because it displays the
arms of Queen Ann before the union with Scotland.

Externally, the remains of a decorated cross shaft said to date to around
870 and in the nearby former vicarage grounds is what is considered to be
a "holy well" which could be the site of the earliest Christian gatherings,
before a timber and thatch church was erected, possibly around the year
750.

Saint Werburgh was bom around 650, the daughter of King Wulfhere and
Queen Ermenhilda of Mercia. Against her father's wishes for her to
marry, she was determined to become a nun and was finally allowed to
enter Ely Abbey. She subsequently became an Abbess, and finally senior
Abbess of all Mercia. She died on 3rd February, 700 and her feast day is
3rd February. There are 17 churches dedicated to her in England, plus
one in Dublin, one in West Australia, a village in Zimbabwe and lady
chapels in Chester and Lichfield cathedrals.

John Hughes

The Men's Group meets on the fourth Wednesday evening of each month from September to April ( excluding
December) in the Parish Room at 7.00 p.m. We have a variety of speakers with slide shows and talks, and enjoy
light refreshmenst and fellowship. Talk subjects are many and varied. We also enjoy a day visit out in June or
early July, when we visit a place of interest and have a nice lunch. Anyone who is interested may come along,
and wives are always welcome to any talk which interests them, and to the summer visit. Annual membership fee
is Ł1 for retired people, and Ł2 for those who are still working! For firther information please contact Reg Pugh
on 01332 674073.

2009/2010 programme

24th February Railways by Reg Pugh

24th March Holiday Slides by Bob Rodgers

28th April AGM

June/July - Summer outing to be decided at AGM