The History of our Church






The Church you see today was built in the early nineteenth century. R.D. Chantrell, Architect of Leeds on behalf
 of ‘His Majesty’s Commissioners’ put the plans out to tender for the building of the church in May 1828, stating
that the plans and specifications could be viewed at The Hare & Hounds Inn, Low Leighton. The tradesmen required must have been appointed very quickly and the foundations dug, for on the 25^th September 1829, G.W.Newton Esq. Acting on behalf of Lord George Cavendish laid the Foundation Stone with due pomp and ceremony. The Church was consecrated by the Lord Bishop of Coventry on July 25^th 1831 and dedicated to St. George, opening for Public
Worship on 15^th January 1832. At that time, it was built as a chapel of ease to the parish church of All Saints, Glossop, in the Archdeaconry of Derby, and Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry and in the Patronage of the Vicar of Glossop. It cost £3500 to build; £1000 was raised by local subscription and the Parliamentary Commissioners granted £2500. It was built on land donated by Lord George Cavendish, the youngest son of the 4^th Duke of Devonshire, and is in the Gothic re-vival style, surmounted by an embattled tower with pinnacles and a spire. New Mills became an ecclesiastical parish in 1844 and St. George’s became the Parish Church of New Mills.

    

 

When it was built the people of New Mills complained that it had been built out in the country, for it was
surrounded by trees and fields. Church Road and the bridges over the Torrs had yet to be built. The only access
to the township of New Mills was via either the New Mills / Salem Bridge at the end of Hyde Bank Road / Dyehouse Lane or down the rough road in the Torrs and then up the other side. Rumour has it that one notable of the day remarked that ‘one day it will be the centre of the town’ that rumour has certainly come true. In 1835 a splendid
two manual organ was installed, manufactured and built by Mr. Renn of Manchester, it was opened on the 25^th September during an appropriate Service, at which a certain Mr. Ryder, also of Manchester presided at the organ.
In 1837 the church was granted a license to hold Wedding Ceremonies. The first wedding with the Revd. Irving Carlyle M.A. officiating was Mr. Abraham Sharples of New Mills to Miss Elizabeth Heathcote of Marple in September 1837.
The Church as built seated some 800 people, a three Decker pulpit, central font and central reading desk, horse
box pews, a few stained glass windows and no heating or lighting, (Services only during daylight hours).
Stove heating was added in 1837 and gas lights later in the century.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the end of the nineteenth century the interior of the church was to see many changes. In November 1897 the Ashton Reporter commented on the restoration of the church as follows:- ‘For many years the church people of New Mills have laboured difficulties, the church having been built and furnished just prior to the great revival known as Oxford Movement, it bore all the marks of that plainness which characterizes the church architecture and furniture of the last century or the beginning of this’. It was decided that improvements should be made. The result was a great change from the old state of things. The whole cost for the construction of the Chancel (£500) was met by Mrs Mackie of Watford Villas, the body of the church was re-seated with pine open pews, new windows of cathedral glass were fitted, a new heating boiler was installed and the whole church lit by gas. The organ was enlarged and moved from the west gallery to the new chancel and a new brass lecturn was installed in memory of Mrs. Newman, wife of the vicar. A new choir vestry was constructed under the South East gallery. The church was closed for six months, the work cost some £2000 and it was re-opened in November1897 by the Bishop of Southwell.

 

In 1898 a Peal of six bells was donated by James Hibbert JP to the church and placed in the tower, the ringing chamber being installed where the organ had originally been, they were dedicated on the 18^th November 1898 by the Lord Bishop of Derby. Three years later James Hibbert donated a further two bells to make up the octave, as it is today.

 

During the period between the beginning of the twentieth century to the end of the Second World War not many changes took place. But some stage during these intervening years the church was decorated with plain walls and so removing all the artistic paintings that adorned the walls and gallery front, Electric lighting was installed and electric blower for the organ, Sundry memorial plaques were placed on the interior walls and of course blackout curtains appeared during the second world war. Externally the graveyard was extended to its present size, originally the graveyard only extended as far as the inner ring of trees surrounding the church, still visible today, the war memorial was erected in 1919 to the memory of those who had been killed in the First World War. A weather vane was installed at the top of the steeple in 1911 replacing the original stone cross, now reposing opposite the west door.

 

  

Following the Second World War many changes were to take place during the ensuing sixty years and these are much easier to re-call because they are within living memory.

 

1950

The Lady Chapel, dedicated by the Archdeacon of Chesterfield, The Venerable Dilworth-Harrison. It was constructed and furnished in memory of a number of parishioners whose name are on a tablet on the chapel.

 

1950

New Altar and Reredos again dedicated by the Archdeacon is in memory of John William and Jane Cochrane. It is the work of the Hunstone Brothers of Tideswell. The central panel depicts Christ in Glory from the cross, the saints from left to right: St Columba, St. Aiden, St. Chad and St. Wystan. Each was closely involved in the coming of Christianity to the ancient Kingdom of Mercia of which the present Diocese of Derby forms part. On the two centre panels either side are the Arms of Canterbury Province and Derby Diocese.

 

1950

The old Altar Cross from the original altar was made into a processional cross and is secured to the south wall and is rarely used because of its weight. The old Reredos surrounds the belfry door in the west Gallery.

1951

The statue of St. George, in whose honour the Church was dedicated, carved also by the Hunstone Brothers, in memory of Lionel Alexander, of Church Road.

1952

The New East Window replaced the one which was installed originally as it was deteriorating badly and excluded much light. The left window depicts the annunciation, the centre the Crucifixion and the left the Patron Saint. The window was given in memory of the parents and husband of the late Mrs. Emma Robinson.

1952

First interior decoration after the war, which altered the whole interior into a light atmosphere and was substantial change from the very dark paint which had been applied previously.

1952

Re- hanging of the bells, which were transported to Taylors of Loughborough, the original founders and modified to swing on ball bearings rather than the brass bearings originally. This made the bells more ringable, rather than having to be strong armed they could now be rung after training by youngsters. This was relief for the current band of ringers at this time. A substantial part of the cost for this exercise was raised by a Christmas Fayre and the ringers own efforts.

1953

The Church Clock was installed to commemorate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and was dedicated by the Lord Bishop of Derby on Whitsunday. This was partially funded from the proceeds of a Coronation Fayre.

1954

 

     

                                                Some of the bosses on the underside of the Rood Screen.

1955

There had always been a toilet on the churchyard, but in a terrible condition; the present toilet block was built with the help of funding from the Shakespearean Fayre

1955

The organ required a complete overhaul, during this overhaul the console was moved to under the south gallery and further enlarged to its present size with the action being changed from ‘tracker’ to ‘electro/pneumatic’. The space created by the removal of the console was converted to a Vestry. The total cost of this exercise was £2850 met from church funds and Bazaars.

1956

In the South East corner of the gallery a chapel was constructed and dedicated to the ‘Little Poor Man of Assisi’, St. Francis. The reason for this was during the fifties the Church was frequently visited by the Friars of the Anglican Franciscan Society, of Cerne Abbas, Dorset. The Railing on the North side of the chapel is made partly of what was used to be the choir screen, removed when the new Rood Screen was installed, and partly from the backs of the pews removed when the Lady Chapel was constructed. It is a pity that they did not get the inscription to read properly. The candlestick are of beaten copper and were originally made or an Air Force Padre in Germany and used in an RAF chapel. The Prayer desk, curtains and wrought iron fittings are the offerings of local craftsmen. The Altar is from St. Mary’s Abbey, West Malling. On the South Wall is a carving of the Crucifixion believed to be a 16^th century Flemish carving, rescued from the gloom of an antique shop.

1970

The Altar Rails were a gift from the Lancashire family in memory of Elizabeth Lancashire.

1977

Remembrance Desk (Situated under the statue of St. George) was a gift from the White family in memory of Samuel White.

In the mid seventies an new high level lighting scheme was designed by Phillips Electric Ltd and eventually installed by Brown and Smith Ltd. This proved to be a dramatic improvement on the Suspended lighting that had been previously installed.

1987

The pulpit cross was the one carried along the Via Delarosa in Jerusalem by the pilgrims from this parish on the first pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

1988

Dry Rot.

During the late eighties this persistent disease was found in sundry places in the church building, mainly in the North East & South East corners of the gallery and the North West corner of the main body of the church. For the remedial work to be carried out the church had to be closed for worship for some three months, the congregation moved to St. James, Spring Bank. This was the first time the church had been closed since the re-ordering in 1897. Whilst the work on the dry rot was being carried out, a new heating system was installed, the old piped and radiators being removed. The work costing a considerable amount was financed from money raising events and church funds.

Carpets.

Following the necessary cleaning of the church after the dry rot eradication the nave Aisles, Chancel and Sanctuary were carpeted, funded from donations of the then congregation.

1991

Public Address system was installed in Memory of Eva Platt on Palm Sunday

1991

The treble music stands in the choir stalls were given in memory of Jack Johnson, Headmaster of St.George’s School and choirmaster of the church. In 1994 the rear music stands were given in memory of James Maurice Townson and his wife Doris. (Maurice was a Choir member, Churchwarden and PCC Treasurer for many years.) The music stands were crafted by two members of the choir.

1992

2003.

 

This window was erected 'To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Henry Barber by his nephew and nieces 1915

Next is The Beatitude window 'Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God' (Matthew 10, 4) or possibly 'Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God' (Mark 10,14)

 

 

 

 

In the chancel over the south choir stall is the shield of Litchfield Cathedral, reminding us of St. Chad, the apostle of the Midlands. Also on the reredos

 

 

 

 

The red cross on the white background, the flag of St. George,

 

 

 

 

Next along is a deer, a reminder of the holy bishop, St. Aidan, also on the reredos.

 

 

 

 

Next along is The winged Ox, represents St. Luke, author of the third Gospel and the Acts. He has an ox for a symbol because the early Christians identified the four beasts mentioned in Revelations 4, verse 7, the Man, the Lion, the Ox, the Eagle, with four Evangelists.

 

 

 

 

 

On the West gallery we have the sumbol of St. Columba, a coracle, which he had supposedly travelled from Ireland to Iona.

 

 

 

 

Next is St. Nicholas (Santa Claus), the Bishop of Myra in the 4th century, depicted by 'three children in a tub' whom he seemingly rescued from certain death, hence the patron saint of children.

 

 

 

 

St. Oswald, the patron saint of the Church of England's Men's Society. The raven appeared during his wedding with a ring in his beak.

 

 

 

 

St. James the Less, Apostle and Martyr, is depicted by a saw and a bat, which reminds us that he was a carpenter and the bat how he brutally met his death.

 

 

 

 

St. Giles, the patron saint of forests, represented by the hind and the arrow, remembering that our church was built in the Forest of the Peak.

 

 

 

 

All Saints, depicted by the crown, reminding us that our Parish was once the part of the parish of All Saints, Glossop. The crown reminds us the saints have now recieved the 'Crown of Life'.

 

 

 

 

A pierced heart, this is the shield of the 'Lady of Sorrows' the words of Simeon to our Lady 'A sword shall pierce through thine own soul also'.

 

 

 

 

The Lyre which is the symbol of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr, the Patron Saint of Music. Tradition tells us that her heart was so full of joy that no instrument could utter it all, so she invented the organ which is why it is placed below the Organ pipes.

So in conclusion then, this is a short history of St. Georges Parish Church, New Mills in the High Peak of Derbyshire. Our Church, the church of every resident of the parish of New Mills, who if so wish, have the ecclesiastical right to be baptized, married and have their funeral within its walls.

If on reading through this history of the Church you find any omissions, mistakes or comments, please let us know so that they can be corrected.

This history of St. George’s Church, New Mills, High Peak, Derbyshire was taken from a publication written in January 2006 by Neville Holt and also from a publication written in 1956, ‘The Pilgrims Book of New Mills Parish Church’ by the vicar of New Mills at that time, the Revd. T Leslie Weatherhead.