St Mary's Church, Tutbury Explained

St Mary’s Church, Tutbury
Fullname:The Priory Church of St Mary, Tutbury
Coordinates:52.8588°N -1.6884°W
Location:Tutbury, Staffordshire
Country:England
Denomination:Church of England
Website:stmarystutbury.org
Dedication:St Mary the Virgin
Heritage Designation:Grade I listed
Designated Date:1964
Parish:Tutbury
Deanery:Tutbury
Archdeaconry:Stoke-on-Trent
Diocese:Diocese of Lichfield
Vicar:Phyllis Bainbridge, Dave Robbins
Organist:Roger Sharp
Warden:Margaret Pyle, Jackie Benstead

St Mary's Church, Tutbury, is a Grade I listed parish church in the Church of England in Tutbury, Staffordshire.[1]

History

The West front of the church, the oldest surviving part of the building, is dated from around 1160 - 1170. For centuries the church was used by the monks of Tutbury Priory, as well as the being the parish church of Tutbury. However, the monastery appears to have been founded slightly later than the church.

Most of the nave was rebuilt in the 13th century.At the Reformation the eastern part of the church, which served the monastic community, was demolished along with the priory buildings.The South tower appears to be a 16th-century addition. The north aisle is an addition of 1820-2 by Joseph B H Bennett.The chancel and sanctuary were replaced in 1866 by George Edmund Street funded by Sir Oswald Mosley (4th baronet and grandfather of the fascist politician).

Memorials

Indoors, the church has a memorial to George Robinson (d. 1837) by Joseph Hall of Derby.

The churchyard contains the war graves of seven Commonwealth service personnel, five from World War I and two from World War II.[2]

Bells

The tower contains a ring of eight bells, with four dating from 1699. The tenor weighs a little over 10 cwt.

Organ

The church has an organ by William Hill & Son in 1860, which was rebuilt by Lloyd of Nottingham, Adkins of Derby in 1937 and Poyser, Adkins' successor, in 1980. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.

See also

Notes and References

  1. The Buildings of England. Staffordshire. Nikolaus Pevsner. p.288.
  2. http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/43991/TUTBURY%20(ST.%20MARY)%20CHURCHYARD