St. Martin, Alfreton, Derbyshire

Description

The church of St. Martin is an edifice of stone consisting of chancel, nave of five bays, aistes, south porch, vestry and a western tower containing a clock and 8 bells, dating from 1627 to 1901, and a small sanctus bell: one of the oldest portions or the church is the arch opening from the tower to the nave, which may certainly be attributed to the commencement of the Early English period; the only other memorial of that period is a slab, incised with the head of a sepulchral cross; it was found beneath the pavement of the chancel, and in 1894 was fixed in the chancel wall and protected in front by a sheet of plate-glass: the nave is separated from the aisles by arcades of five arches of the Decorated period; on circular columns with octagonal bases, erected about 1320, the eastern-most arches being added in 1868, when the chancel was extended: to this period also belong the south doorway: the tower is a fair specimen of Early Perpendicular, and was probably built at the beginning of the 15th century: the windows of the south aisle are Perpendicular; of the same period is the vestry, which is boldly vaulted with stone and rubble: built into the north wall of the chancel is a large slab of gribstone, with brass shield of arms and Latin inscription to John Ormond esq. (1503) and Joan his wife, daughter and heiress of William Chaworth kt. (1507): in the north aisle are monuments to Anthony Morewood, gentleman (1636), and others of that name: there is a reredos of Derbyshire alabaster, into which has been skilfully worked a large slab of alabaster formerly on the chancel floor: there are also seven memorial windows, that at the east end being a memorial to Charles R. Palmer-Morewood esq. of Alfreton Hall, who died in 1873: in the vestry is a memorial window, erected in 1890 by Mrs. Lee, to her son, the Rev. James Percy Lee, a former curate of this parish: there is also a window, erected by the parishioners in 1884, to the wife of the Rev. William Henry Draper M.A. then vicar of this parish; and in 1894 a stained window was erected to the memory of Tom Herring Bingham, Son of the late Dr. Bingham, who was drowned at Eastwood, Notts, on Friday, 12 Aug. 1892, while attempting to save the life of Cecilie Barber, aged 5 years, who had fallen off a steam launch at Lamb's close: in 1895 a memorial window was placed by Mr. William Wilson, of The Bank, Alfreton, to Lucy, his wife, and there is another, erected in 1907, to William Wooding Nelson and his son, who were drowned at Sutton-on-Sea, Aug. 1906: in 1844 two carved oak reading desks were placed in the church by subscription: in 1885 a brass lectern was given by the Hon. Mrs. Palmer-Morewood, and in 1912 carved oak choir stalls were provided from a legacy from Miss Lucy Palmer-Morewood: the church plate was given in the last century by various members of the Turner family, of Swanwick Hall, in 1868-9 the church was thoroughly restored and considerably enlarged, at a cost of £3,200, and in 1901 the chancel was enlarged and an organ chamber built, at a cost of upwards of £1,300: there are 560 sittings.

Church Records

There are no registers earlier than the year 1706.

The Phillimore transcript of Marriages at Alfreton 1706-1837, is available to browse online.