THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. WERBURGH
History
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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 church stands on it's 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.
St. Werburgh's in Spondon 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 35mtr. high tower date to 1390, although the north wall of the nave had been damaged by subsidence and was rebuilt in 1826. The low 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 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 thath church was erected, possibly around the year 750.
St Werburgh.
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 church stands on it's 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.
St. Werburgh's in Spondon 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 35mtr. high tower date to 1390, although the north wall of the nave had been damaged by subsidence and was rebuilt in 1826. The low 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 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 thath church was erected, possibly around the year 750.
St Werburgh.
Saint Werburgh was born around 650,
the daughter of King Wulfhere and Queen Ermenhilda of Mercia. Against
her father's wishes for her to marry, she became 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 Litchfield cathedrals.
John Hughes
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 Litchfield cathedrals.
John Hughes