Church of St Mary and All Saints, Chesterfield
Encyclopedia
Chesterfield Parish Church is an Anglican
church dedicated to Saint Mary and all saints, located in the town of Chesterfield
in Derbyshire
, England
. Predominantly dating back to the 14th century, the church is a Grade I listed building and is most known for its twisted spire; an architectural phenomenon which has led to the church being given the common byname of the Crooked Spire. The largest church in Derbyshire, it lies within the Diocese of Derby
, for which it forms part of the Archdeaconry of Chesterfield.
The spire was added to the 14th century tower in about 1362. It is both twisted and leaning, twisting 45 degrees and leaning 9 in 6 in (2.9 m) from its true centre. The leaning characteristic was initially suspected to be the result of the absence of skilled craftsmen (the Black Death
had been gone only twelve years prior to the spire's completion), insufficient cross-bracing, and the use of unseasoned timber.
However, it is now believed that the twisting of the spire was caused by the lead that covers the spire, which was added 300 years after it was built — before this it was covered with oak tiles. The lead causes this twisting phenomenon, because when the sun shines during the day the south side of the tower heats up, causing the lead there to expand at a greater rate than that of the north side of the tower, resulting in unequal expansion and contraction. Add that to the weight of the lead (approx. 33tons) which the spire was not originally designed to bear and that it was not sufficiently braced for the weight of the lead, the twisting effect that can be so clearly seen on the spire was inevitable. Also it was common practice to use unseasoned timber at the time the spire was built as when the wood was seasoned it was too hard to work with, so as unseasoned wood was used they would have made adjustments as it was seasoning in place. These theories can be rejected as there is evidence to suggest that the spire was straight for the first 300 years after it was built and as wood seasons within 50 years these theories now can hold no weight.
In common folklore, there are numerous explanations as to why the spire is twisted. One is that the spire was so shocked to learn of the marriage of a virgin in the church that it bent down to get a closer look. Should this happen again, it is said that the spire will straighten and return to its true position. Another is that a Bolsover blacksmith mis-shoed the Devil, who leaped over the spire in pain, knocking it out of shape. Many other such stories exist, these are two notable examples.
The tower upon which the spire sits contains ten bells. These bells were cast in 1947 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry
in London
, replacing a previous ring. The heaviest weighs 25cwt. The place in which the bells are situated once held the builders windlass, which is one of the only examples of a medieval crane in existence and is the only example of one that has survived from a parish church. The windlass is now on display at Chesterfield Museum and Art Gallery
.
It is this twisted spire that gives Chesterfield FC their nickname, 'The Spireites'.
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church dedicated to Saint Mary and all saints, located in the town of Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Predominantly dating back to the 14th century, the church is a Grade I listed building and is most known for its twisted spire; an architectural phenomenon which has led to the church being given the common byname of the Crooked Spire. The largest church in Derbyshire, it lies within the Diocese of Derby
Diocese of Derby
The Diocese of Derby is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, roughly covering the same area as the County of Derbyshire. Its diocesan bishop is the Bishop of Derby who has his seat at Derby Cathedral. He is assisted by the Suffragan Bishop of Repton.The Diocese of Derby...
, for which it forms part of the Archdeaconry of Chesterfield.
Twisted spire
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
had been gone only twelve years prior to the spire's completion), insufficient cross-bracing, and the use of unseasoned timber.
However, it is now believed that the twisting of the spire was caused by the lead that covers the spire, which was added 300 years after it was built — before this it was covered with oak tiles. The lead causes this twisting phenomenon, because when the sun shines during the day the south side of the tower heats up, causing the lead there to expand at a greater rate than that of the north side of the tower, resulting in unequal expansion and contraction. Add that to the weight of the lead (approx. 33tons) which the spire was not originally designed to bear and that it was not sufficiently braced for the weight of the lead, the twisting effect that can be so clearly seen on the spire was inevitable. Also it was common practice to use unseasoned timber at the time the spire was built as when the wood was seasoned it was too hard to work with, so as unseasoned wood was used they would have made adjustments as it was seasoning in place. These theories can be rejected as there is evidence to suggest that the spire was straight for the first 300 years after it was built and as wood seasons within 50 years these theories now can hold no weight.
In common folklore, there are numerous explanations as to why the spire is twisted. One is that the spire was so shocked to learn of the marriage of a virgin in the church that it bent down to get a closer look. Should this happen again, it is said that the spire will straighten and return to its true position. Another is that a Bolsover blacksmith mis-shoed the Devil, who leaped over the spire in pain, knocking it out of shape. Many other such stories exist, these are two notable examples.
The tower upon which the spire sits contains ten bells. These bells were cast in 1947 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is a bell foundry in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. The foundry is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest manufacturing company in Great Britain...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, replacing a previous ring. The heaviest weighs 25cwt. The place in which the bells are situated once held the builders windlass, which is one of the only examples of a medieval crane in existence and is the only example of one that has survived from a parish church. The windlass is now on display at Chesterfield Museum and Art Gallery
Chesterfield Museum and Art Gallery
Chesterfield Museum and Art Gallery is a local museum and art gallery in the town of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England.The museum, established in 1994, presents the history of Chesterfield from its origins as a Roman fort to the present. It is located on St Mary's Gate in the Stephenson Memorial...
.
It is this twisted spire that gives Chesterfield FC their nickname, 'The Spireites'.
Tours
The spire is open to the public most days (except Sundays and Good Friday) and can be climbed part way up. The views from the top of the tower on a clear day stretch for miles. The spire, which is used as a symbol of Chesterfield, can often be seen from the surrounding hill poking out of a sea of mist, on a winters morning.Vicars
- Martin Lane 1558 - 1573
- Cuthbert Hutchinson 1573 - 1609
- Matthew Waddington 1616 - ?
- William Edwards 1638 - ?
- John Billingsley 1662 - 1663
- John Coope 1663 - ?
- John Lobley ? - 1694
- William Blakeman 1694 - 1699
- Henry Audsley 1699 - 1705
- John Peck 1705 - 1707
- William Higgs 1707 - 1716
- Thomas Hinckesman 1716 1739
- William Wheeler 1739 - 1765
- John Wood 1765 - 1781
- George Bossley 1781 - 1822
- Thomas Hill 1822 - ? (Archdeacon of Derby)
- George Butt ? - 1888
- Hon.Reginald Edmund Adderley 1888 - 1892
- Hon.Cecil James Littleton 1893 - 1898
- Egbert Hacking 1899 - 1905
- Edmond Francis CrosseEdmond Francis CrosseThe Venerable Edmond Francis Crosse was the first Archdeacon of Chesterfield. He was the great grandson of the famous Norwich surgeon John Green Crosse. He is buried in the graveyard at Little Barrington, Gloucestershire.-Notes:...
1905 - ? (Archdeacon of Chesterfield) - Francis Longsdon Shaw 1918 - 1924
- Geoffrey Hare ClaytonGeoffrey Hare ClaytonThe Most Rev Geoffrey Hare Clayton, DD was an eminent Anglican Priest in the mid Twentieth century.He was born on 12 December 1884, educated at Rugby and Pembroke College, Cambridge and ordained, after a period of study at Ripon College Cuddesdon, in 1909. A Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge, he was...
1924 - 1934 (Archdeacon of Chesterfield) - Talbot Dilworth-Harrison 1934 - ? (Archdeacon of Chesterfield)
- Thomas Wood Ingram Cleasby 1963 - 1970 (Archdeacon of Chesterfield)
- Thomas Ewart Roberts 1971 - 1975
- Henry Alexander Puntis
- Brian Hamilton Cooper 1982 - 1991
- Martyn William Jarrett 1991 - 1994
- Michael Richard Knight 1994 -
Organ
The vast majority of the original Snetzler organ (1756) was destroyed by fire in 1961. It was replaced in 1963 by a redundant T.C. Lewis organ from Glasgow. This is a large 4 manual pipe organ with 65 stops. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.List of organists
- Thomas Layland 1756 - ?
- Laurence Cornelius Nielson 1808 - 1830
- Thomas Tallis Trimnell
- Mr Vaughan
- Henry Norman Biggin 1875 - 1910
- J.F. Staton 1910 - 1938
- Reginald Cooper 1938 - ????
- Charles Alan Bryars 1947 - 1970
- Michael Baker 1970 - 2005
- Ian Brackenbury 2006–present