Over the years Crich Parish has had fifteen places of worship. The places still open for service are:
St Mary's Parish Church, Crich
Baptist Chapel, Crich
Wesleyan Chapel, Crich
Congregational Chapel, Fritchley
Friends Meeting House, Fritchley
Briars Conference Centre – Catholic masses, Crich
Moorwood Moor Primitive Methodist Chapel
On the edges of the parish in Wingfield Park is the Smith's Memorial Hall which has been and is still used as a place of worship. It has a small cemetery and war memorial. It is used by residents of Crich Parish.
St Mary's Church
Photo: Peter Patilla
St Mary's Parish Church was built about 1135.
Ebenezer Chapel
Photo: Christine Toft (née Sellors)
This be with you
The Ebenezer Chapel on Roes Lane Crich was built in 1839. It once had a small cemetry alongside. It was replaced by the Baptist Chapel in the Market Place in 1877. This chapel is now a private house.
Mount Tabor Chapel
Photo: Peter Patilla
Mount Tabor United Methodist Chapel on Bown's Hill was built in 1864 by Crich quarrymen in their spare time. For a short time is was a British School built in competion to the Parochial Church School. It is now a private house.
Baptist Chapel
Photo: Peter Patilla
The Baptist Chapel in Crich Market Place had its foundation stone laid in 1877. It stands on the site of what was once Sir Roger Beler's Manor House. It is still a place of worship.
Crich Primitive Methodist
Photo: Peter Patilla
Crich Primitive Methodist on Sun Lane was built in about 1855. It is now a private dwelling.
Derbyshire Times 14 November 1891
Wesleyan Chapel
Photo: Peter Patilla
The Wesleyan Chapel on Chapel Lane is the oldest in the parish being built in 1765. John Wesley preached here. It is still a place of worship.
The Briars Residential Youth Centre
From an undated postcard
The Briars Residential Centre on the Common, Crich, is the youth retreat centre for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nottingham. It holds a Catholic Mass each week, primarily for the people attending the centre but it is open for the local community to attend as well. The Briars was originally built in 1910 as a pair of semi-detached houses for well-known Quaker George Smith as homes for his two married daughters, Catherine and Elizabeth.
Fritchley Mission and School
Photo: Peter Patilla
Fritchley Mission and School was built in 1869 through money donated by Miss Emma Hurt. It is now a private dwelling.
Fritchley Primative Chapel
Photo: Professor Jim Eggleston
The first Fritchley Primative Methodist Chapel was built in 1829. It was rebuilt in 1852 and is now a private dwelling.
Photo: Keith Clark
Fritchley Congregational Chapel
Photo: Peter Patilla
Fritchley Congregational Chapel was founded in 1841 on Fritchley Green. It is still a place of worship.
Fritchley Friends' Meeting House
Photo: Peter Patilla
Local Quakers founded their own society in Fritchley during 1869. They built the Meeting House in 1897.
Crich Carr Chapels
A map created in 1879 shows the position of two Methodist Chapels at Crich Carr
The lower chapel, near Middle Lane, was a United Free Methodist and the upper chapel, just above Top Lane, was the Primitive Methodist.
Crich Carr United Free Methodist Chapel
Photo: Peter Patilla
The Derbyshire Historic Environment Record
Building record MDR9798 - Former United Methodist Free Chapel, Hinderstitch Lane, Crich Carr, Crich.
Type and Period
United Methodist Free Chapel, (Georgian to Victorian - 1800 AD to 1882 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
World Heritage Site Buffer Zone
Full Description
There is a United Methodist Free Chapel situated here on the 1st edition OS map. The United Methodists have a chapel at Crich Carr . The building is still standing, but is no longer in use as a place of worship. The site looks quite overgrown and unoccupied at present.
A newspaper report of 1872 reports the re-opening the United Methodist Free Chapel.
Derbyshire Courier 20 January 1872
CRICH CARR
REOPENING OF THE UNITED METHODIST FREE CHURCH
The reopening services of this place of worship were commenced last Sunday, when sermons were preached by the Rev T.M. BOOTH, of Burton on Trent, afternoon and evening, two large congregations. This chapel has undergone an enlargement of about one third its former size, a portion of the interior has been re-pewed, and a Gothic entrance has been added. The interior of the chapel now presents an exceedingly neat and comfortable appearance. John SMEDLEY Esq, Riber Castle, has given new windows, a large portion of the roof, and a new stove and fittings. The cost of the alterations is to be paid for by voluntary subscriptions and collections, a handsome sum having been already obtained. The services are to be continued next Sunday by Mr J.W.NUTTALL, of Ripley in the afternoon, and Rev A.B.MATTHEWS, circuit minister, in the evening. On the following day a public team meeting will be held on behalf of the same object.
Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald 20 July 1872
CRICH CARR
METHODIST FREE CHURCH SABBATH SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY
On Sunday week two sermons were preached by Mr HUTCHINSON, Ripley. Pieces were recited and hymns sung by the children, which gave great satisfaction. The weather being unfavourable the service were not so successful as the former year. A public tea meeting was held on Monday evening after which a public meeting was held and addresses were delivered by the Rev A.B.MATHER and others. The meeting on Monday was very well attended.
Belper News 8 March 1901 spirit incentives since the time insect
Crich Carr Free Methodists are not the class of people to be left out in the cold. They recognise that progress is the order of the day, and I am pleased to find them travelling upon that line. Their little chapel is to be renovated and much needed improvements carried out as soon as funds will allow it and for this purpose and to this end the friends are vigorously working. In aid of the above fund a special entertainment is announced to take place in the National School, Crich Carr, on Saturday next, March 9th. Mr LEAFE, of Holloway, is chairman, and judging from the programme a very pleasant evening is provided.
Crich Carr Primitive Methodist Chapels
Derbyshire Courier 22 July 1837
Crich Carr-on Sunday last the 16th instant, the Sunday School Sermons for the Primitive Methodist school, at Crich Carr, near Cromford, were preached in the open air (the chapel being far too small for the occasion) to very large audiences, by the Rev W Stokes, of Burton upon Trent. The collections exceeded those of former occasions, and testified the attachment of the people to the increasing schools of that picturesque village.
A second chapel was built around 1845. Its opening was reported in the press –
Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal 13 August 1847
Crich Carr – on Monday last, the children belonging to the Primitive Methodist Sunday school were regaled by their teachers and friends with tea and plumcake, in the newly erected chapel belonging to that society of Christians.
Oral local history states that the original chapel was rather small with a tin roof.
[It seems likely that this article refers to the upper chapel which, according to oral evidence, was a small building with a tin roof.]
A third Primitive Methodist chapel was built on Top Lane to replace that built in 1847.
This chapel was shown on a map of about 1882. The map also shows the United Free Chapel but has no mention of where the original Primitive Chapel once stood as shown on the 1879 map.
Showing the sites of the United Methodist chapel and the Primitive Methodist chapel replacement on Top Lane.
The opening of the new Primitive Methodist Chapel on Top Lane was reported in the press:
Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald 27 April 1878
Opening of a new chapel at Crich Carr near Belper
A new chapel in connection with the primitive Methodist body, was opened for Divine worship at Crich Carr, in the Belper circuit, last week. For nearly 40 years the primitive Methodists have conducted a public worship, and taught a Sabbath school, at Crich Carr, in the year 1845 they erected a small chapel, which will seat about 100 persons. This chapel has been made to serve for all purposes until the present time. It has however been long been inadequate for the accommodation of the congregation and the Sabbath school. It was therefore resolved some 18 months ago to make an effort to raise new and better premises. While deliberating on the matter, the society found a friend in Mr John Sims, of Crich Carr, who kindly offered to give an eligible site of land on which to erect a new chapel and schoolroom, the stone required, in the erection and £100 towards the cost thereof.
Photo: Peter Patilla
Crich Carr Primitive Chapel was built in 1877 with stone donated from a local quarry by John Sims who also provided the site and £100 towards the cost. There was a race on with the Crich Baptists to see who could finish their chapel first. The Crich Carr Methodists claimed a moral victory. It is now a private dwelling.
Moorwood Moor Primitive Chapel
Photo: Peter Patilla
The Moorwood Moor Primitive Methodist Chapel, built in 1854, is still used as a place of worship. Although just across the boundary into South Wingfield Parish it was (and is) used by Crich residents, particularly those in the Plasitow Green area. Generations of the Yeomans family have been closely associated with this chapel for many years.
The chapel enjoyed its centenary celebrations in 1954.
Courtesy Nellie Brumwell
Wheatcroft United Methodist Chapel
Photo: Peter Patilla
The United Methodist Chapel in Wheatcroft dates back to the late 17th century. It had an earth closet to the side which was shared with the Wheatcroft Institute – built alongside the chapel. It is currently a holiday let.
Smith's Memorial Hall, Wingfield Park
Photo courtesy Stan Smith
Read the history of this Hall and its adjoining cemetery:
If you have more information please email contact@crichparish.co.uk
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