If you can, please visit the church. We would be very pleased to welcome you here, and would hope that you would find your visit worthwhile, that you may find time to enjoy a few minutes of peace from the bustle of the outside world and perhaps, if you wish, to make yourself known to one of the church members, who will be able to tell you more than there is room for in this web page.

Thank you for your interest.

1155 St Peter's belonged to Darley Abbey.

1349 'Black Death' in Derby. The vicar was one of sixty Derbyshire clergy (and one third of the population) who died.

1350 The church was rebuilt in a decorated style.

1509 The original high-pitched roof was lowered, the walls over the nave arcades raised and clerestory windows inserted. The chancel arch was widened and the east end was shortened by a bay and a new east window installed. The tower was rebuilt.

1530 Robert Liversage established a chapel for saying divine service.
Every Friday 13 poor men and women were paid a silver penny for attending. People fought to be amongst the 13.

1556 Joan Waste, a blind ropemaker, refused to deny her faith and was burned at the stake at Windmill Pit near the Burton Road.

1586 The plague broke out starting in St. Peter's parish.

1667 - 81 Registers record the baptism of Shem, Ham and Japheth, sons of Noah the 'coiner' (or forger) who lived in an "ark" on the River Derwent.

1768 William Cowper is said to have written the hymn 'Hark my Soul it is the Lord' in the upper vestry.

1852 Chancel restored, the pews and large impropriator's gallery removed, plaster removed and old roof timbers exposed.

1859 Nave and aisles restored, extensive galleries removed.

1865 South porch removed, organ chamber made at the east end of the north aisle.

1898 West end of church and tower rebuilt.

The main entrance to the church from the south side is a good example of decorated work. Turning right down the south aisle a 13th century slab can be seen built low down in the wall between the front and second pews. The Piscina (a niche for washing hands and the vessels at communion) at the front of the aisle is almost 600 years old.

The 14th century chest at the end of the aisle is a fine example of Flemish carving, it was formerly used for vestments. The marble and alabaster war memorial behind this was erected in 1920 and the three smaller ones in recent years.

On the wall to the left of the chest is a brass plaque detailing the will of Elizabeth Wilcocks who died in 1648.

In the back row of the choir stalls are 'misericord' seats where the monks rested (whilst appearing to stand!). These can be seen by raising the seats.

The brass eagle lectern, on the south side of the chancel, cost £100 when it was dedicated in 1909.

The hagioscope or squint hole (above the left end of the communion rail) allows the altar table to be seen from the (upper) vicar's vestry. This was uncovered in 1865.

The pulpit bears the cross keys of St. Peter. In 1923 it was renovated and crowned with alabaster.

The roof beams were concealed by a flat plaster ceiling until this was removed in 1852. The walls and pillars in the nave were also plastered. This was removed in 1859 and the two north pillars were also re-built at the same time.

The organ was rebuilt in 1986. Previously the console had been in the south side of the chancel and the pipes in the loft under the tower. This was the latest of several moves.

The alms box (opposite the north door) is a 14th century Flemish carving mounted on a later plinth.

The font is at the west end of the north aisle. On the north wall near the font is a plan showing a proposed revised layout of the church dated 1858. Opposite this is a list of vicars since the year 1155, and also an elaborate board with a gilded list of charitable bequests made to the church from 1529 to 1774.

The nave is divided from each aisle by three pointed arches supported by circular columns on the north side and octagonal ones on the south. These arcades, as well as the windows of the two aisles, are 14th century. The tracing of the south aisle windows is of a beautiful geometric design, but that of the north side is of a freer and apparently later date.

The clerestory windows date from the late14th/early 15th century. The texts above the arches are Victorian and were renewed in the 1980s.

The old tower is said to have been damaged by an earthquake in about 1811. The present tower and the west end of the Nave were rebuilt in 1896. A pinnacle from the previous tower (c.1485) is in the churchyard. The tower houses a ring of eight bells, the earliest dating from 1636. The tenor bell, weighing over 12cwt (1377Ibs/625 kilos) was recast and dedicated in 1986. Details of the other bells can be seen near the entrance to the tower.

Return to the top?