From: The Derby Mercury (Derby, England), Wednesday, May 23, 1883; Issue 8784.
REOPENING OF ALSOP-EN-LE-DALE CHURCH
Five or six miles from Ashborne, a few hundred yards from the highway leading
from that town to Buxton, and
soon after the traveller has emerged from the charmingly wooded scenery in the
midst of which lie the villages
of Tissington and Fenny Bentley into the bleaker country of mid Derbyshire,
where stone walls take the place of
green hedges; and trees are few and far between, is the tiny hamlet of Alsop-en-le-Dale,
lying, as its name
implies, at the feet of two of the great limestone hills which abound in the
Peak.
Alsop, as our readers are probably
aware, was for many hundreds of years the home of the Allsopp family, the present
head of which has recently acquired by purchase the property so long held by
his ancestors. With the affection which he has always shown towards the Church
of England, and which very recently, was made manifest by a munificent donation
of 11,000 pounds. towards the erection of the new church of Holy Trinity at
Burton-on-Trent, Sir Henry Allsopp at once
gave his assistance, in the shape of a very liberal donation, to a movement
for the restoration of the ancient and
dilapidated church which he found in the village whence his family had derived
their name. Elleshope, or Alsop,
we gather from Mr. Cox's " History of Derbyshire Churches" was part
of the Crown demesnes granted to
William de Ferrers, Earl of Derby, who in the reign of John granted the manor
to Gweno, son of Gamel de
Alsop, whose family held it for seventeen generations, when it was sold by Anthony
Alsop (in 1688) to Sir
Philip Gell. The chapel of Alsop, Mr. Cox goes on to say, from the date of its
first foundation in the 12th century
down to comparatively recent times, was a dependency of the mother church of
Ashborne. It is mentioned in the
charters of 1240 and 1290, by which the endowment of the Vicarage of Ashborne
was settled, and the vicar was
bound to find a fit chaplain to serve it. In post reformation days it attained
the dignity of a parochial chapelry,
and the appointment of the minister became vested in the freeholders in consequence
of their augmenting the
stipend. The Parliamentary commissioners of 1650 recommended the disuse of the
chapel and its being united to
the neighbouring parish of Parwich.
Concerning the unrestored building, Mr. Cox writes as follows:-
"The little chapel, dedicated to St. Michael, is another instance of an
early Norman foundation. Mr. Rawlins
gives its dimensions as — nave, 32ft. 1in. by l5ft. 10in., and the chancel,
as 20ft. 4in. by the same width as
the nave. The frequency of chapels and churches, all showing traces of 12th
or perhaps of late 11th century
work, in this particular part of Derbyshire is remarkable, and points to the
comparatively, large population
which once inhabited it, at the time when its mineral resources were being first
developed. It is a small
building, consisting simply of a nave and chancel, and a bell turret at the
west end. The most interesting
feature is the Norman doorway on the south side. The jambs are not ornamented
in any way, but round the
head of the doorway is an effective and unusual moulding, consisting, as it
were, of two rows of chevron or
zigzag moulding placed face to face, and producing an effect like that of the
dogtooth pattern of a later style.
The archway in the chancel is pointed, but the jambs appear to be of plain Norman
construction."
The task of directing the restoration of the church, which had fallen into a
very dilapidated state, was entrusted
to Mr. F. J. Robinson, architect, of Derby. The walls, both inside and out,
had been cleansed from rough casting
and plaster, and had been neatly pointed in accordance with the original construction.
The side walls of the
church were raised about 300 years ago, and a flat roof placed over it. The
latter had become partly ruinous, and
has been removed, and both the external and internal appearance of the sacred
edifice has been greatly improved
by the lowering of the walls to their original height, and the substitution
of a high open timber roof. The floors
have been entirely replaced, the passages and chancel being laid with Minton
tiles, and the remainder with
wooden blocks laid transversely. A new stone font, of circular design, has replaced
the old one which was in a
very decayed condition; and we understand that the carved oak pulpit now stained
and varnished, which was
removed from Ashborne Church four years ago, has been given to the restored
edifice by a friend. The church
has been seated with open deal benches, stained and varnished, providing accommodation
for 80 persons, and
furnished with a warming apparatus, Every care has been taken to preserve the
old features of the church; the
doorway and chancel arch above referred to, with the round headed window on
the south of the nave and the
small piscina in the chancel, which probably was also part of the original structure,
have been retained, together
with a slab in memory of a genuine centenarian, Anthony Beresford, of Alstonfield
(son of Francis and Anne
Beresford, of Castern), who died on March 3, 1874, at the age of 102 years.
At the west end a bold tower, in
character with the church, has been erected, and in this the old bell been re-hung,
room being left for two others
which it is hoped shortly to place there.
The total cost of the work, including the, placing of new gates to the churchyard, has been 750 pounds. 6s. 4d., and of this 66 poundsl. 4s. has been subscribed, the contributions including 270 pounds from Sir Henry Allsopp, Bart. 50 pounds, each from the Rev. E. H. May (vicar of Alsop and Parwich), Mr. T. W. Evans, M.P., Mr. G. H. Errington, and Miss Smart, 25 pounds. from Mr. N. C. Curzon, and 20 pounds. from Mr. G. Needham. A bell fund has also been established which amounts to 12 pounds. There have been several special gifts to the church on its restoration. The communion plate, presented in 1813 by Mr. G. H. Errington, the impropriator of the tithes, has been supplemented by a massive 18th century tankard-shaped silver flagon, and also an alms dish, the gift of Lady Allsopp. Mrs. Esdaile has given a Bible and Prayer Book, Mrs. Edmund May the communion linen, Mr. and Mrs. G. Dale an American organ, Miss Alsop (Parwich) two oak chairs for the sacrarium, and the Rev. E. H. May a brass pulpit desk. It should be added that the contractor for the work was Mr. J. Knowles, of Brassington, who has performed his task with great thoroughness.
The re-opening service took place on Thursday at noon, and was attended by an
influential company from the
surrounding district. A welcome arch was erected in the village, a flag adorned
the church tower, and the
weather was quite in accord with the air of festivity which prevailed. A procession,
consisting of the choir boys
from Parwich Church, wearing surplices for the first time, and of clergymen,
also surpliced, walked over to the
church from Sir Henry Allsopp's house opposite, where they had robed. The clergy
were – the Ven. Archdeacon
Balston, the Rev. G. A. Festing. rural dean and vicar of Clifton ; Rev. E. H.
May, vicar of Parwich and Alsop ;
Rev. F. Jourdain, Ashborne ; Rev, F. Crombie, Bradbourne ; Rev. B. A. Alsop,
Acton Trussell, Stafford ; Rev.
T. O'Grady, Hognaston ; Rev. A. C. S. O'Brien, Long Lane ; Rev. W. R. Bedford,
Sutton Coldfield and the Rev.
W. Esdaile, Sandford Orcas, Sherborne, Dorsetshire. Sir Henry Allsopp, Bart.,
was unable to be present through
indisposition, but amongst the congregation we noticed — Lady Allsopp,
Mr. S. C. Allsopp, M.P., Mt. G. H.
Allsopp (Mayor of Burton). Captain Ranulph Allsopp, R.A., Mr. A. Percy Allsopp,
Mr. T. W. Evans, M.P., and
Mrs. Evans, Mrs. Balston, the Misses FitzHerbert, Tissington ; Mr. E. E. Harcourt-Vernon,
Grove Hall, Notts;
Major and Mrs. Corbet, the Grove, Ashborne ; Mrs. C. Cavendish, Crakesmarsh
Hall. Uttoxeter ; Mr. H. C.
Okeover and the Misses Okeover ; Mr. and Mrs. Cruddas, Newton Leys ; Mr. W.
R. Holland, Ashborne Rev. C.
J. Millar, Ashborne ; Rev. B. Williams. Bramshall ; Rev, Edmund May, All Cannings,
Devizes, and Mrs. May ;
Mrs. E. H. May, Parwich ; Mrs. Esdaile, Miss Alsop, Mrs, O'Brien, General and
Mrs. McBean, Captain
Sherwill, Colonel and Mrs. Wilkie, Bradbourne Hall ; Mr. and Mrs. Fellows, Mr.
and Mrs. Williams, Mr.
Fernyhough, Bradley ; Mr. F. J. Robinson, architect ; Mr. J. Knowles, contractor
; Mr. Cooper, Burton-on-Trent
; Mr. Ward, churchwarden of Alsop ; Mrs. Ward. and Mrs. Ward, jun., Mr. W.,
Mrs., and the Misses Smith, Mr.
and Mrs. Etches, Mrs. Finney, Mr. and Mrs. Riddell, Hindlip ; Mr. Dain, Mr.
and Mrs. George Dale, Mr. Dale
and Miss Dale, Hanson Grange ; Mr. G. Bull, Ashborne, and most of the inhabitants
of the parish. Sir William
FitzHerbert, Mr. and Mrs. N. C. Curzon, and other friends were unable to be
present.
The service commenced with the hymn,
“Let the strain of high thanksgiving." The prayers were read by the
vicar of Alsop, the Rev. E. H. May and the lessons by the Rev. A. R. Alsop and
the Rev. G. A. Festing. The sermon was preached by the Ven. Archdeacon Balston,
who selected for his text I. Kings, vi., 14 --- "So Solomon builded the
house and finished
it." In the course of his remarks the preacher said they were met together
to-day to rejoice that the restoration of
the church had been finished, and to offer it for the service of the Almighty.
Thanks be to Him who put it into
the hearts of men able and willing to undertake the restoration of the church
and to make it what it was, and they
hoped the blessing of God would continue to rest upon those who built it, and
upon the building now it was
completed. He reminded his hearers that that material fabric was designed in
order that they might seek in the
worship of God the means of building up their own spiritual life. In conclusion
be reminded them that there was
still wanting in the church that which invited people to the House of God. They
had no proper bell, and he
thought they ought to make an effort to render the restoration complete, and
have three. At the conclusion of the
service the hymn “Now thank we all our God" was sung, and a collection
made which realised 30l. 5s. 9d.
A luncheon, for which the invitations were issued by Sir Henry and Lady Allsopp,
and which was purveyed by
Mrs. Wallis of the Green Man Hotel, Ashborne, was subsequently held in a tent
in a field adjoining. In the
absence of his father, Mr. C. Allsopp, M.P., presided, and the company consisted
of the ladies and gentlemen
whose names are given above. After the loyal toasts had been duly honoured.
Mr. T. W. Evans, MP., said he had been requested to propose the next toast,
which was that of "The Bishop
and Clergy and all ministers of the gospel throughout the diocese." They
could not doubt, he remarked, that the
powers of evil were as strong and as active as at any time ; but they most thankfully
recognised that it had
pleased God to increase the activity of the clergy, beginning from the chief
pastor of the diocese, and of the
other ministers of religion to a most remarkable degree, and he thought they
might hope that if the forces of evil
were growing they would be controlled under the blessing of the Almighty and
kept within bounds. He had to
couple with the toast the health of his friend the Archdeacon of Derby, to whom
they were indebted for the
excellent sermon they had listened to that morning. and the health of his friend
the Rev. Ernest May, incumbent
of the parish, whom he took that opportunity of congratulating most heartily
upon the success which he had
obtained in the restoration of the ancient church of Alsop. It was a matter
which had been talked of for a good
many years, and it had been reserved for Mr. May with the liberal assistance
of many others, to carry it into
effect. He was very glad that the parish now contained a place suitable for
the worship of God, and he hoped that
the inhabitants would make use of the religious advantages placed within their
reach.
The Ven. Archdeacon, in returning thanks, said that it was a great pleasure
to him to be present on that
occasion. A few years ago be visited Alsop in the course of his duty, and if
he called the church as it then existed
something like a lumber room he should not be very far wrong. He was extremely
pleased when he heard that it
was to be restored, nay rebuilt ; and no one coming to the place now would be
able to recognise in it in the
slightest degree what stood there before. He hoped the people of the parish
would properly appreciate the
blessing which had been provided for them. He quite entered into the expression
of feeling made by Mr. Evans
with regard to the Bishop. He saw a great deal of his Lordship and knew what
his work was, and how any man
could do so much and yet have his health was a marvel. He had stayed with him
at his home, and had seen the
way in which he was on the run from the first thing in the morning to the last
thing at night—very few men, be
thought, would be able to endure it and yet retain their health (Hear, hear).
The Rev, E. H. May also responded, saying he felt very thankful to the subscribers
to the restoration fund for
all they had done, and especially to Sir Henry Allsopp, who had backed him up
in every way possible
(Applause). He (Mr, May) held in his hand an ancient book written some three
hundred years ago, by Thomas
Becon, a reformer, who fled to Alsop in the time of the persecution of Queen
Mary, and who took refuge in the
Hall. They would perhaps pardon him if he read a short extract, because it reflected
great credit upon one of Sir
Henry's ancestors. It took the form of a dialogue, and was entitled "Jewel
of Joy," and the author described
himself under the name of Philemon :--
Christopher : Truth it is ; but you have not yet declared to
us in what countries ye have been here in England,
since your departure from hence?
Philemon : After I departed from you, and had taken my leave
of my most sweet mother, and of my other dear
friends, I travelled into Derbyshire, and from thence into the Peak, whither
I appointed my books and my clothes
to be brought.
Eusebius : Into the Peak? Lord God, what made you there? There
is a marvellous and a barren country, and, as it
is thought, such a country that neither hath learning, nor yet no spark of godliness
Phil. : Mine intent was, by exercising the office of schoolmaster,
to engraft Christ and the knowledge or Him
into the breasts of those scholars whom God should appoint unto me for to be
taught.
Theophile: I think you found there very peakish people ?
Phil. : Not so. I confess to you that I found there very good
wits, and apt unto learning.
Chris.: But how favour they Christian religion in those parts
?
Phil.: I will tell you. Coming into a little village called
Alsop-in-the-Dale, I chanced upon a certain gentleman
called Allsop, lord of that village, a man not only ancient in years, but also
ripe in the knowledge of Christian
doctrine.
Theo. : By what means had ye knowledge of his godly disposition
?
Phil. After we had saluted one another, and taken a sufficient
repast for the present, he showed me certain books
which he called jewels and principal treasures.
Eus.: I pray you what books were they ?
Phil. : To realise them all by name I am not able ; but of
this am I sure, that, among all others there was the New
Testament, after the translation of the godly learned man, Myles Coverdale,
which seemed to be as well worn by
the diligent reading thereof as ever was any portass or mass book among the
Papists.
Chris. A rare thing, and almost a miracle to find an old man,
namely, in those parts where Christ, I think, as yet
never was truly preached, to be so well affected towards the reading of the
sacred scriptures.
Eus.: Yea, and a gentleman also.
Chris,: I would not lightly have believed that such a man could
have been found in so barbarous and rude a
country, nor that so fruitful works had been placed in so unlearned a region.
(Laughter and applause). That referred to an ancestor of Sir Henry Allsopp,
and he was pleased the other day, reading over the will of Henry VIII., to find
that one Thomas Alsop, whom he believed to be the same gentleman, was remembered
there. He begged to thank them for drinking his health, and to assure them that
he was thoroughly delighted with the gathering (Applause),
Mr. H. C. Okeover said he had been called upon to propose "Long life and
much happiness in the possession
of his property, and this especial part of his estate, to Sir Henry Allsopp"
(Cheers). He had known Sir Henry for
a great number of years. They used to hunt together in former days, and Sir
Henry used to enjoy the sport of the
hunt with all possible pleasure. He had lost sight of him for many years, but
he had often heard of him, and had
the pleasure of knowing some of his family. It was real gratification to him,
living as he did in part of the Peak
country, to know that his old friend had acquired an interest in that part of
the country, and a most interesting
part it was. Sir Henry had acquired the greater part of the parish, and one
of the first things he had done was to
greatly assist in the restoration of the church, which, he was sure, would be
to great benefit to that part of the
country. Bearing, as he did, the honoured name of Allsopp, if Sir Henry ever
came into that part of the country
he was sure they would all be delighted to see him. Sir Henry was afflicted
with one of the most painful diseases
human nature was subject to, gout, which prevented him from being present that
day ; but if he would only come
up and breathe the pure air of the Derbyshire hills, it would probably put new
life into him. He was sure the
Derbyshire men would welcome him for the good old country gentleman they believed
him to be. He proposed
to them the health of Sir Henry Allsopp, and long life to him (Cheers).
Mr. S. C. Allsopp, M.P., in acknowledging the toast on behalf of his father,
said it would have afforded him
the greatest possible pleasure and gratification to have been present that day,
but unfortunately in addition to the
gout he was afflicted with that which was worse, old age. Along with the rest
of his family he (the speaker)
trusted his father would be spared to them for many years. So long as Sir Henry's
life was spared it was in his
heart, he was sure, to do his best to those who were connected with him. Mr.
May had edified them with an
account of what took place between an old gentleman who visited the Peak many
years back and a member of
the Allsopp family, and he (the chairman) might be excused for reminding them
that there was a still closer
connection between the Peak and Burton of which probably they were in ignorance.
It used to be said in the old
days of the Meynell Hounds that the only persons who followed the hunt were
Peak parsons and Burton brewers
(Laughter). He believed that to be perfectly true, and he could only hope that
in years to come the Peak parsons
and Burton brewers would not only follow the fox together, but join in every
good work which was needed in
the parish. In conclusion he expressed himself as perfectly satisfied and highly
gratified with the way in which
the restoration and re-opening of the church had been carried out.
The company then separated.