THIS WORK

IS

RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED

TO THE MEMORY

THE REV. URBAN SMITH,

FOR FIFTY THREE YEARS FAITHFUL PASTOR

OF THE PARISH OF

STONEY MIDDLETON.

PREFACE.

THE AUTHOR.

Stoney Middleton, 1910.

THE VILLAGE.

Dr. Denman, uncle of the first Baron, writing in 1798, says, "Stoney Middleton stands on a very extraordinary eminence, and the main street seems to have been formed by the laceration of a high hill, which must have been affected by a tremendous concussion of nature. This chasm continued is the justly celebrated Middleton Dale. On one side of the Derwent the rock is limestone and on the other gritstone, and the stone which separates these two is shivery and of little use."

A great variety of shells and marine impressions are to be found in the rocks known as Encrinital Limestone, the characteristics of which are better revealed when polished.

The several parts of the village are thus designated: The Townend or Town Gate; the Cross, from which branch High Street, the old coach road via Highfield, Moyston Knowle, over Longstone Edge, to Manchester. The other branch leads to the Dale Mouth, or opening of the renowned Middleton Dale. On the right near the old Toll House is the Bank, over which coaches formerly journeyed, and a turn to the left leads to a secluded corner, which is called the Nook, near the Church and the Roman Baths.

It contained a great tract of moorland until 1801, when an Act was obtained for its enclosure.

THE DWELLINGS.

The villagers worked for little monetary gain, and had many opportunities of replacing their houses with stone, abundance of which material was found in the neighbourhood. No doubt quarries would be worked so that their Roman masters could make suitable roads to be used by the Roman legions when marching from town to town. Here was the Middle town between Chesterfield and Brough, the Roman station. An examination of the houses, which are built on ledges of limestone rock, reveals the absence of any architect, and many of them are built in the ground, doubtless by the miners themselves, who were quite used to passing the larger part of their time in the ground. When a man was contemplating marriage his fellow miners would assist in the erection of a stone house following their own ideas of house building, unrestricted by any 'Building Regulations'. The housrs had thatched roofs, and it is only during the past fifty years that blue or grey slate has been substituted.

THE CHURCH.

Thomas Whyte, of Stony Middleton, Gentleman, by will dated 1692 bequeathed his "great Silver Cup to be used in the Church or Chapel of Stony Middleton aforesaid for ever in the administration of the most Comfortable Sacrament of the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion".

A record written in one of the Parish Registers and dated Aprill 16th, 1717, gives

"An Account of the Names of the Singers who were Equally concerned in the charge of Building the Loft in the Middleton Church for their own use", viz.:

The tower contains three bells, and it is often asserted that one of the original peal of four bells was taken to the Mother Church of Hathersage. It is, however, noteworthy that the Hathersage bells bear Latin inscriptions, so that if it was taken there, it was evidently recast. The inscriptions on the three bells are as follows:

1. Daniel Hedderly cast us all in 1720.
2. Thos Froggatt, Rob. Shepperd C. W.
3. Benjamin Ashton, Esq., Jonathan Rose, Curate.

The parish of Stoney Middleton came into existence in 1743, in consequence of the augmentation of the Church by the Queen Anne's Bounty Governors. The Rev. Urban Smith wrote, "When I entered upon the Stoney Middleton living in 1834 I found this inscription on a board in the Church: "under the Royal Arms" - Restored 1759. John Hallam, Samuel White, Churchwardens",

Dr. Cox, in his Derbyshire Churches, says: The architect of 1759 adopted a singular octagonal design in quasi-Grecian style for the body of the Church, and the effect of uniting this building to a low square tower of perpendicular style of the 15th century is most incongruous.

It is said that the same architect also designed the stables at the back of the Crescent at Buxton, the stables at Chatsworth, the rectory at Eyam, and Stoke Hall.

"We wish", adds Dr. Cox, the eminent historian, "he had confined his attention exclusively to secular work."

There are eight semi-circular arches. In 1861 the church was re-roofed, the gallery removed, a new west doorway and earlier window were inserted in the tower. The south door was then closed.

A Communion Flagon now in use in the Church bears the following inscription:

Below are names of some of the Curates and incumbents:

1. John Silvester (Time of Elizabeth).
2. Jacobus Huit, Curate, 1629.
3. Mr. Thorpe, Curate, 1650.
4. Jonathan Rose, Curate, 1720.
5. John Ashe, Minister, 1759-1780.
6. Charles Hadfield, Curate, 1780-1792.
7. J. Wostenholme, Curate, 1792-1794.
8. Alex. Benjamin Greaves, Minister, 1794-1834.
9. James Parker, Curate, 1834-1835.
10. Urban Smith, Incumbent, 1835-1887.
11. J. B. Riddlesden, Incumbent, 1888-present time.

In or about 1817 the Bishop of Lichfield passed through the village and stayed for a short time at the Moon Inn. The proprietor informed him that no service had been held for 16 months, and that the Dissenters had become strong. He himself was in no way concerned, as he had not been there for years.

There are no monuments earlier than 18th century, and the Parish Registers only commence in 1715.

A clock was presented to the Church, through the kindness of Rev. J. Stockdale, R.D., Vicar of Baslow, and inserted in the tower in 1897.

The harmonium, which had been in the Church for a number of years, was replaced in 1903 by an organ built by Mr. Cousins, of Lincoln, at a cost of £130. A stained glass east window, "The Good Shepherd", was inserted in the Church by subscription in 1905.

In the poetical works of Richard Furness appears a poem - "Stoney Middleton Orra-Turry". This was doubtless an Oratorio, which took place in Middleton Church, but there is no date given, except 1858, the date when the poems were published. The poet describes the object in the lines:

And brave old Outram, not a fool,
Just wanted some for th' Sunday School."

The performance was assisted by an orchestra, comprising the following: Owen, Shemwell, Wild, Hibbert, Wilson, Cramer, Wragg and G. Rayner, the leader. The chief singers were: Soprano, Madam Shirtcliff; contra, Shaw; tenor, Croft; basses, Dooley and Birkett.

Stoney Middleton was formerly in the Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry, but is now included in the new Diocese of Southwell.

Next Chapter: THE CHURCHYARD