St Mary's Bridge Chapel

St Mary's bridge chapel, one of only six remaining bridge chapels in the country, is a rare survival of Derby's ancient past. The present building is believed to have been built in the fifteenth century, although the two arches on which it stands are the remains of the original, earlier bridge built in the 1200's. One of the most famous incidents involving the chapel was in 1588 when three Catholic priests were tried in the city for high treason. They were found guilty and were hung drawn and quartered and their remains hung over the entrance to the chapel. As two of them had been arrested at Padley Manor they have gone down in history as the Padley Martyrs.

Over the years the building has had a number of uses, including a workshop and has been derelict on a number of occasions. However in the 1930's it was purchase by the Derbyshire Archaeological Society and restored and again used as a place of worship, a role it still carries out today.

St Peter's Church

St Peter's church is one of the oldest churches in the city. The earliest known records date to at least 1086, although it is thought to predate this by at least a century! Rebuilt in 1350, it has been altered and parts rebuilt in the following centuries, however substantial parts of this 14th century building still survive and it remains an active place of worship to this day. A detailed history can be found the churches own website.

Over the centuries many parts of the church have been rebuilt. This is the remains of one of the tower pinnacles dating from 1485.

St Mary's Church

St Mary's Catholic church on Bridgegate was designed by the eminent Victorian architect Augustus W N Pugin and was completed and consecrated on 9^thOctober 1839.

It is built on land that once formed part of the park of St Helen's House nearby, which was sold off as building plots in the 1830's when Edward Strutt moved his family to Belper.

The church is of the Gothic perpendicular design and is rightly considered to be Pugin's masterpiece. Indeed, Doctor (later Cardinal) Wiseman, during the Pontifical High Mass to mark the dedication of the church began his sermon with the words: “St Mary’s, without exception the most magnificent thing that Catholics have yet done in modern times in this country.”

Pugin's original plans included an extensive and ornate convent adjoining the church, however this was dismantled only 10 years after construction and no trace survives today. The church, however, survives largely as Pugin designed it.

The main changes that have occurred include a Lady Chapel which was designed by Mr Hansom of Hansom cabs fame, a beautiful and ornate reredos and the reconstruction of a sacristy containing a sculpture of ‘the lifeless body of Our Saviour resting on the knees of His Virgin Mother, the head supported by St John and Mary Magdalen is kissing his feet, while angels bend down in adoration.

St Mary's was restored in 1986 to rectify the wear and tear of 150 years and remains a beautiful and graceful tribute to the skill of one of the 19^thcenturies greatest designers, and continues to be used regularly for the purpose for which it was designed.

A more detailed history can be found at the church's own website

Friends Meeting House

The Friends Meeting House was erected in 1808 on King Street. The Friends are more commonly known as Quakers and it was in Derby that the term was first used. One of the founders, George Fox was arraigned before Mr Justice Bennett in Derby in 1650, and he bid that the judge "Tremble at the word of the Lord"

St Werburgh's Church

Although there has been a church on this site for many centuries the oldest surviving parts date only from the 17^th. This is the tower, which was rebuilt in 1601 in the Gothic style, & the adjacent chapel, once the chancel, of 1699, which still retains much of its historic woodwork & monuments. It was here in 1735 that Dr Samuel Johnson married Elizabeth 'Tetty' Porter. The church has been redundant for many years and the tower and chancel are now maintained by the Churches Conservation Trust and is open occasionally through the year.

The buildings proximity to the old Markeaton Brook, has meant that more than once it has suffered damage or collapse due to flooding necessitating rebuilding of its various parts. As a result the main body of the church dates only from 1893 -94 when it was rebuilt in the 15^th century style be the celebrated architect Sir Arthur Blomfield. This part has now been converted into commercial use, although currently stands empty.

The pictures below show parts of the fine interior of the 17th centuy chapel, now known as the Johnson Chapel in tribute to Samuel Johnson

St John's Church

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St Michael's Church