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HISTORY of St. Bartholomew's Church

 
   
 
 
St Bartholomew's was built in 1851 by Stevens in the Early English or Gothic style on land given by George Stephenson & Company, Originally it had no spire, rather a stone slab roof, and was lit by candles and heated by a large stove just inside the south door. In 1857 the 70ft high Broach spire was completed with stone from Bole Hill, Wingerworth to Stevens design. Gas lighting was added in 1859 as was a vestry to the north side of the chancel by G.E.Street. An organ was installed in 1864 and a pulpit in 1867. The peal of six bells was mounted in the tower in 1874 and in 1879 a William Morris stained glass window was fitted in memory of William Morris, the engineer who perfected the link motion for locomotives. This window was restored and protectively glazed in 2003. In 1885 the eagle lectern was given by the Houldsworth family who were coal miners. The stone roof was replaced with green Westmorland slate in 1896 and the following year the east window was fitted. 1931 saw electric lighting installed and in 1953 the organ was moved from the side chapel to the balcony. General repairs had to be carried out in 1986 and some carpets were fitted at this time. In 1993/4 the roof was completely renewed.

1995 saw a new organ installed in the north east corner of the church. The first phase of a reordering programme was completed in 1998 that provided toilet facilities and meeting rooms in the west end of the Church. The pews, pulpit and other items of Church furniture were removed in 2003 to make way for the second phase of the modernisation programme which involved work in the sanctuary, nave and kitchen.

Other work to the building includes the complete refurbishment of the bells in 2001 and the Church's flood lighting installed in 2003. The car park was resurfaced in 2004. The work to install a new sound and lighting systems together with the creation of an upper hall area with a new office and toilet was completed in 2005; all the works were dedicated by the Right Reverend Alastair Redfern (Bishop of Derby) on 30th October 2005.

 
 
VICARS  In total there have been thirteen incumbents at St. Bartholomew's:

 

1851 - 1888 ~ Joseph Oldham

 

1967 - 1969 ~ ‘Interregnum'

 

 

1888 - 1907 ~ H Sharpe Oldham

 

1969 - 1974 ~ William Whiffen

 

1907 - 1922 ~ John Blake

 

1975 - 1983 ~ George Dunning

 

1922 - 1929 ~ Howard Dobson

 

1984 - 1994 ~ Peter Letford

 

1929 - 1935 ~ Samuel Elder

 

1994 - 1998 ~ Nicholas Atkins

 

1936 - 1938 ~ Henry Snape

 

1999 - 2008 ~ Matthew Barnes

 

1938 - 1955 ~ Frank Mitchell

 

 2008 - 2009 ~ Petra Owen-Moore

 

1955 - 1967 ~ Wynford Phillips

2010 - Now ~ Jonathan Brook
The face of the first incumbent of St. Bartholomew's, Joseph Oldham is remembered through his likeness being used as the face of St. Matthew in the Church's East-end window.
 
     
 

 

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