Church of St Wilfrid

Church of St Wilfrid

A parish church of coursed, squared sandstone with sandstone dressings, lead and plain-tile roofs with coped gables. The building spans the mid 13th century through the early 19th century, comprising a west tower, aisled nave, south porch and chancel.

The west tower has two stages divided by a string course. Diagonal buttresses flank the west face, while angle buttresses with five set-offs are positioned to the north and south. The tall lower stage has a chamfered plinth and features a doorway with chamfered surround and plank door on the west elevation. Above this is a five-light window of around 1300 with intersecting tracery and a cusped lozenge at the top, topped with a hoodmould. The lower stage is blind on the other elevations. The upper stage contains 14th-century two-light bell openings in each direction with reticulated tracery. The tower is crowned with 15th-century battlements and four stumpy pinnacles.

The gabled north aisle has a thirteen-light west window with intersecting tracery, angle buttresses and one intermediate buttress. A north doorway with moulded surround, hoodmould and plank door opens into the aisle. To its left are two three-light windows with intersecting tracery, and a three-light east window with reticulated tracery.

The north side of the chancel features a single chamfered priests doorway with hoodmould and plank door with decorative iron hinges, with a curious low pointed window to its right. A 20th-century brick buttress occupies the angle with the aisle. The chancel's east elevation has a shallow gable, thin buttresses and a broad four-centred arched window with chamfered surround, probably of the 18th century.

The south side of the chancel has a low single-chamfered round-arched priests doorway with hoodmould. To its left is a three-light flat-arched window with cusped ogee lights. The gabled south aisle has a three-light east window with reticulated tracery, diagonal buttresses and one intermediate buttress. The south side contains two early 19th-century lancets with chamfered surrounds, as does the west side. A gabled south porch has a broad pointed doorway with 20th-century plank doors, diagonal buttresses with two set-offs, and a round-arched niche above with moulded surround.

Small pairs of chamfered lancets flank the building to the west and east. A clerestory of three two-light windows with flat arches contains the remains of 15th-century traceried arched lights.

The interior features three-bay arcades. The north arcade is mid 13th-century with compound piers carrying shafts, shaft rings and moulded capitals, much restored in the 19th century. The south arcade is 14th-century with octagonal piers and abaci. Both arcades have double chamfered arches. An unmoulded tower arch carries an inner chamfered order on corbels. A double-chamfered chancel arch has its inner order dying into the imposts. In the south aisle is a round-arched tomb recess containing a 14th-century alabaster effigy of a priest, with a moulded hoodmould and, to its left, a trefoil-headed recessed panel with moulded surround and traces of painting.

Squints from the aisles into the chancel include a northern passageway from the aisle to the chancel, lit by its own window. A plain octagonal font is present.

Monuments include a tablet to Elizabeth Milward (died 1610) in the north aisle, a plain tablet to John Bancroft (died 1803) by W Barton of Derby in the north aisle, a monument to Elizabeth Mozeley (died 1883) by R C Lomas of Derby in the nave, and a monument to Richard Sale (died 1808) by Hall of Derby in the nave. A much damaged tomb chest with incised slab also survives. A 19th-century alabaster pulpit, open-backed 19th-century pews and a painted lozenge hatchment complete the interior fittings.