St Peter's Church, Belper
History
The church was built to the designs of the architect Matthew Habershon. The designs were exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts of 1824. The church was consecrated by the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, Rt. Revd. Henry Ryder on 6 September 1824.
Parish status
The church is in a joint parish with:
- St Swithun's Church, Belper
- St Mark's Church, Openwoodgate, Belper
Memorials
- George Brettle, 1835 by Sir Richard Westmacott.
Organ
The first organ dating from around 1754 was installed second hand from the old chapel of St John. It was sold to St Luke's Church, Heage when a new organ was provided by William Holt of Bradford at a cost of 300 guineas (equivalent to £39,000 in 2023), and was opened on 22 December 1853. This was rebuilt in 1873 by Radcliffe & Sagar of Woodhouse Lane in Leeds enlarging it to become an instrument of 3-manual & pedals. In 1902 J.H. Adkins of Derby overhauled the organ and made some tonal changes. In 1978/9 some further work was done by Edmund Stow. A specification of the current organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Organists
- Isaac Hanson ca. 1860
- W. A. Shaw ???? - 1871 (afterwards organist of Salem Chapel, Belper)
- Thomas Barker Mellor 1871 - 1877
- Walter Wardle Windle F.C.O. 1882 - 1930 (formerly organist of Brimington)
- Reginald G. Harvey 1930 - ????
Bells
The church tower contains 8 bells all cast in 1925 by John Taylor of Loughborough.
Clock
A new clock by John Moore & Sons was installed in the tower in 1864.
See also
References
- ^ Historic England. "Parish Church of St Peter (1087376)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus; Williamson, Elizabeth (1979). The Buildings of England. Derbyshire. Penguin Books Limited. p. 89. ISBN 0140710086.
- ^ "Consecration of the New Church at Belper". Derby Mercury. England. 8 September 1824. Retrieved 15 January 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ "Belper Opening of the New Organ at St Peter's Church". Derby Mercury. England. 28 December 1853. Retrieved 11 January 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "NPOR [N05380]". National Pipe Organ Register. British Institute of Organ Studies. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
- ^ "Belper". Nottingham Journal. England. 24 October 1873. Retrieved 11 January 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "NPOR [N02749]". National Pipe Organ Register. British Institute of Organ Studies. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ^ "Belper. St Peter's Church". Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal. England. 29 December 1871. Retrieved 11 January 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Belper. Appointment of Organist". Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald. England. 24 June 1882. Retrieved 11 January 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "48 years church organist". Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald. England. 15 November 1930. Retrieved 11 January 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Belper, Derbys S Peter". Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. Dovemaster. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ^ "New Church Clock". Derby Mercury. England. 15 February 1865. Retrieved 19 August 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.