Taken 1998
Unposted, taken c1925.
Holy Trinity Church,
Middleton-by Wirksworth
Photograph of Holy Trinity, Middleton-by-Wirksworth taken in 1998
Middleton-by Wirksworth
Edith Taylor writes
Holy Trinity Church was built in the mid 1800's. Bagshaw's Directory of
1846 says of it, "A small neat chapel of ease, with a turret, one bell,
and a clock, calculated to seat about 400 persons, was erected in 1844,
at a cost of £1,200, raised by subscription, aided by a grant from
the Incorporated Church Building Society". The stone was from a quarry
near Black Rocks and when the vestry and porch were added in the early
1920's the quarry was reopened.
The church clock struck each hour and could be heard all over the village, especially at night. If anyone was ill or couldn't sleep they could count the strokes and know the time, it was also company. Then birds and pigeons got in and made such a mess. It doesn't strike any more but John Doxey of Rise End still comes and winds it up and keeps the clock going so we can still look up and know the right time.
The bell was always tolled for a funeral, wedding and death, one strike for a man, two for a woman and three for a child. We always found out who it was and helped out if we could, that has all gone now.
On one day a year the church gates were locked at the top and bottom of the churchyard, this was to show that although it was a public right of way it still belonged to the Church Council. The Vicarage is the largest house in the village and in a lovely setting, I can remember vicars coming and staying for years before they moved on. They had servants living in and in summer would hold garden parties on the lovely lawns. The Gells of Hopton Hall gave the site for the School and at first it had restrictions and the chapel children couldn't attend. I've heard my mother say that she and her brother Billie had to walk to Wirksworth to school because they couldn't attend Middleton school.
See also:Base Lead and Shining Silver, a history of the HALL Family by Chris Newall.
Rev.Cottle on the Church steps. |
Rev Cottle in 1925. |
Edith Taylor writes:
In 1927 Rev. Cottle and helpers built a village hall and there were many chapel men and boys helping. The chapel ladies also raised funds but when it was finished it was called the Church Hall. That caused a feud which has been going on until the last year or two. Now it has been passed on to the village and is being modernised and is called the Village Hall.
Dates:
Photo taken:1998
Size:
Source:"Base Lead and Shining Silver" by C.E.Newall.
The History of the HALL family 1700-1940
of Middleton-by-Wirksworth and Sheffield.
Published by Wild Oat Books 2006.
33 Elm Grove Road, Ealing, London W5 3JH
ISBN 0-9552046-1-5 and 978-0-9552046-1-6
Click on photo for enlargement (on CD only)
Have any more information about this photo?
Please e-mail the author on:
