Bell Tower - 1888 - St Barnabas - Bradwell, Derbyshire - Dated Architectural Structures Multifarious on Waymarking.com

St Barnabas' church, Bradwell, was designed by the architect C C Townsend, and consecrated on 22 October 1868 by Bishop Trower. The tower was added 20 years later.

"A newspaper report of the laying of the foundation stone said;

On Friday June 21st , 1867 the principal stone of a new church at Bradwell was
laid by W. Jackson, Esq. M.P., in the presence of a large concourse of the
inhabitants of the village and neighbourhood. Though this place has a population
of 1400, and was until recent times the third in population in the County of Derby, it never had a church of its own.

The tower was built in 1888, as be seen from the Latin inscription cut into the foundation at the base of the tower:

AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM
Necron ad dignitatem hujus Ecclesiae ampliorem in usum denique totious
vicinitatis turris hujus fundamenta sunt jacta
Pridie Nonas Sextiles
Anno Christi MDCCCLXXXVIII

Which translates as:
Finally all the foundations of this tower were laid near to the larger dignity of this
church for use on the day of August.
In the year of Christ 1888

The original plans for the tower were to erect a tower with spire and the estimated cost was £ 552. 11. 4d but this must have been considered too much because only the tower was built. (The architects were Naylor and Sale of Derby) and the contractor was Mr A Hill of Tideswell who, along with his brother Hedley, was noted for church building all over North Derbyshire. Hedley Hill carved the gargoyles which are built in near the top of the tower, and provided a niche over the North Door to accommodate a figure of St Barnabas, our patron Saint. The figure is still required. I (CBA) suppose the funds ran out before it could be carved. A pity when one thinks how little extra it would have cost. The tower is thought to be a replica of the decorated Gothic style of the 14th century.
The first two graves in the church yard had to be moved during the building of the tower and can now be seen lying by the tower. These were for Jane Maltby Bradwell and her brother George Edward. Jane was six years old – her brother was eighteen years old. They died in the Bradwell Fever that affected the village in 1868 and 1869."

SOURCE - (visit link)

Year built or dedicated as indicated on the structure or plaque: 1888 Full Inscription (unless noted above): AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM Necron ad dignitatem hujus Ecclesiae ampliorem in usum denique totious vicinitatis turris hujus fundamenta sunt jacta Pridie Nonas Sextiles Anno Christi MDCCCLXXXVIII Website (if available): Not listed

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