History of St Marys
St Mary the Virgin's Church, South Darley is a Grade II listed parish church in the Church of England in South Darley, Derbyshire. At the entrance to the churchyard is a memorial to the men from the parish who died in the two world wars.
The church was built in 1845 by the Sheffield architect Joseph Mitchell. It was consecrated on 19 June 1845 Further additions were made in 1880 and 1885 to 1886. The changes in 1885 included the re-enlargement of the chancel, extending it by 27 ft in length. The floor of the chancel was laid with encaustic tiles by Maw and Son of Bentall, Staffordshire. This building is possibly based on the design of the protestant Reformed Church of Troyes in Normandy, France.
The church contains a pipe organ by Wadsworth. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Extract from the entry at British Listed Buildings...
Anglican church. 1845, enlarged in 1880 and 1885. Designed by Joseph Mitchell, architect of Sheffield, extensions by his son, J.B. Mitchell-Withers, architect of Sheffield. Neo-Romanesque style. Ashlar gritstone and rock-faced coursed gritstone beneath a Welsh slated roof. PLAN: Simple linear plan, comprised of west tower, nave with vestry extension to north, and sanctuary to east with parish room below. Tower with entrance to west elevation. Narrow 3-stage structure with clasping buttresses to first stage. Semi-circular arched doorway, with 2 orders of attached shafts with cushion capitals and moulded arch with billet and beakhead ornament. Towards upper part of first stage, a panel of blind intersecting arcading. Clock face above. Second stage with triple lancets with semi-circular arched heads. Bell stage with wide semicircular arch, with 2-light window set within. Shallow pyramidal roof with stepped ashlar stonework to slopes. Nave gables with ashlar dog-tooth decoration to verges. 4 bays, rising from a shallow stepped plinth, and with clasping buttresses to each corner. North side with single semi-circular headed lancet to each bay, with flanking attached shafts with cushion capitals beneath hood moulds with grotesque head stops. Substantial cill band. Gabled vestry extends northwards at junction of nave and sanctuary extension, and has tall octagonal chimney and door and window openings with moulded surrounds. South side similarly detailed, with buttress at junction of nave and sanctuary. Change of ground level allows basement parish room with 2 bay sanctuary above at east end. East gable with stepped 3 light window, set within tall, wide semi-circular arch headed recess with moulded surround. INTERIOR: The interior has been subjected to several phases of change, and the most notable fixture is the stained glass in the east window, designed by Burne-Jones, and made by Morris and Co in 1891. They commemorate Joseph Taylor, a local benefactor.