"It is believed that St. Peter’s church was founded in the reign of Edward the Confessor which began in 1042 so; there has been a church on the site for nearly 1000 years.
Some lettering on the pillars is the remains of Norman craftsmanship with St Peter’s being listed in the Doomsday Book in 1086. Later, in 1137, the church came under the jurisdiction of the Abbot of Darley Abbey.
A significant proportion of the existing building dates back to the medieval period when, in 1338, the south aisle and Chantry were added by the first curate – John de Crich.Paul Morris
The reign of Henry VII (1485 – 1509) saw major rebuilding and extension including the rebuilding of the tower and adding the two-floor vestry with a “squint” window in the upper vestry so that the clergy could view the high alter.
The Liversage Trust currently manages Alms houses on London Road and the vicar and churchwardens are still ex-officio trustees because Robert Liversage’s 1531 will bequeathed most of his property to the benefit of the poor of the parish.
Oliver Cromwell stole an Elizabethan chair that had been presented to St. Peter’s in 1593. Amazingly, the chair was discovered at an auction in 1960 and one of the churchwardens at the time negotiated its return to the church.
Bell ringers at St. Peter’s are able to toll bells that were manufactured in about 1636 and one of the three original bells has never had to be recast. The bells were no doubt rung to mark the passing of Percival Willughby (reputed to be the first gynaecologist), Henry Mellor (the first Mayor of Derby) and many others.
The hymn “Hark my Soul” is believed to have been written in the upper vestry by William Cowper in 1768. As the number of worshippers grew, galleries were added to the church in the period 1793 to 1827 but these were removed by the Victorians in the 1850s. The Victorians added the East window and in1865 built an organ chamber by the vestries.
In 1919, the patronage of St. Peter’s passed to the Church Pastoral Aid Society (CPAS who remain as patrons) and has maintained an “evangelical outlook ever since. Serious consideration was given to closing the church completely in 1969 because of the dwindling congregation but the appointment of a new vicar was to breathe new life into the church which is now exploring new ways of serving the people and community around it. Further changes are being made to the building to make it more accessible, and in keeping with the past an extension is being planned to the church hall so that the service to the community may continue as it has for the last 1000 years.
The Flemish chest also dates back to the 14th century
The Florence Nightingale Window: Recollections past, present and future.
I had only been in training as a nurse for a couple of years when I became aware of fund raising activities for a stained-glass window for the old Chapel at the Derby Royal Infirmary (DRI). It only had a very plain window at the east end at that time. There was a great deal of excitement when the new window was finished and in position. It was stunning to see so much colour and detail. This was 1960.
I have no idea who actually designed and erected the window but it is very special and specifically related to the DRI. The window clearly shows some aspects of hospital life as it was then. I think some of the patients depicted were wounded soldiers.
In its original state it had ten panels. It has at its centre Jesus with the words, “I am the Light of the world.” The top panels had Florence Nightingale holding her famous lamp, to the left. She had a great deal to do with the plans for the hospital and there is an ancient recording of her speaking (on cylinder, precursor of the gramophone) in the hospital archives! The right side panel showed a young nurse in training. It so happens that this “young nurse” is a friend of mine! Between these two panes is an impression of the River Derwent, the old silk mill and the Cathedral.
The bottom panels show the old wards with their wonderfully designed, onion shaped tops, the nurses home and patients, some in bed some up and about, and also their relatives. In the centre bottom panel is the DRI badge, which was given after three years of nurse training AND a year as a staff nurse. I still have my badge and am very proud of it too! Lady Dorothy Macmillan presented it to me in 1962.
I cannot remember the exact year, but it was when I was a ward sister in the late 1960’s that I watched in horror as a demolition team put what I thought was a very unnecessary, sudden end to our beloved chapel to make way for new buildings. At least the window was removed first! I could see it all happening from my ward and I am not ashamed to say that I was a bit tearful.
I had been involved in leading prayers for the night staff in the chapel from time to time during the five years I had been a night sister. I remember the night when a plane was in distress over Castle Donnington, we were all praying for a safe landing, and I am glad to say that the prayers were wonderfully answered. On another occasion I remember forgetting the words of the Lord’s Prayer during night staff prayers; it was because another sister, a dear friend, had been brought into casualty dying following a brain haemorrhage. Yes, we all had emotional memories of the old Chapel. It wasn’t all sad though. We had fun when on certain nights the hospital organist was practising and was persuaded to play some Blackpool tower music!
Although the new Chapel was not a specially good building, it became a very special place. The window was now a different shape, following some clever work having been done to fit the window into 9 panels instead of ten. The tenth was not lost because the glass was needed to fill in various gaps.
Patients who wanted to were taken from the wards if they were well enough to worship there on Sunday mornings each week. Relatives often went in to remember and pray. I think many people will have memories of the window from such times. It was certainly used for prayer the night of the Kegworth disaster.
Then, some 40 years on, that new chapel was awaiting demolition. There was not to be a specifically Christian place of worship at the new Royal Derby Hospital, but a multi-faith centre instead. Naturally, as a Christian, I feel sad about that but fully understand the necessity to try and meet the spiritual needs of all.
When people learnt that the window was not able to go into the multi-faith centre because there was nowhere for it to go, concerns arose as to what would happen to it. Much was written about it, especially in the Derby Telegraph.
Then, when a comment was made by a member of St. Peter’s Church, “wouldn’t it be good if we could look after the window,” that got some of us thinking! The fact is that the DRI was in the parish of St. Peter’s, the church is very central for people to view the window, and the last death from plague in the DRI in about 1665 is in our Parish Register. It seemed to make St. Peter’s a very suitable place for the window, and so after various meetings with hospital and church, the hospital agreed we could have it and we at St. Peter’s agreed to take it! The window was taken out of the chapel at the DRI and put in safe storage.
The wheels of administration began moving slowly, for we had a lot of money to raise for the window to be located in a well-designed wooden framework with rear lighting, but then many people, including former patients, relatives, hospital staff past and present, well wishers from all around the city and even folk giving in memory of a loved one, began to contribute financially towards the costs.
Then, in October 2009, with the window in place in St. Peter’s, there was a Service of Dedication with the Rt. Rev. Dr. Alastair Redfern, and led by the Vicar, Rev. Paul Morris. St. Peter’s was packed, it was a wonderful occasion, full of joy, a great celebration!
Since then, people come every week to visit the church, many specifically to view the window. To enhance its position further, the font has been relocated elsewhere in the church, and the area where the window is situated has become a Prayer Chapel, a place for prayer, quiet and reflection.
Our hope and prayer is that the picture of Jesus, central to the window, will be a talking point and a means of us sharing our faith with others for many years to come. Countless thousands around us, we hope, will come in and meet the one who is, “The Light of the World.”"
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