St Alkmund's Church, Derby
| St Alkmund’s Church, Derby | |
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St Alkmund’s Church, Derby in 1906
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 St Alkmund’s Church, Derby
Location within Derbyshire
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| 52°55′36.48″N 1°28′42.96″W / 52.9268000°N 1.4786000°WCoordinates: 52°55′36.48″N 1°28′42.96″W / 52.9268000°N 1.4786000°W | |
| Location | Derby |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | Alchmund of Derby |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Henry Isaac Stevens |
| Groundbreaking | 6 May 1844 |
| Completed | 15 September 1846 |
| Construction cost | £7,700 (equivalent to £672,500 in 2015). |
| Demolished | 1968 |
| Specifications | |
| Height | 216 feet (66 m) |
Saint Alkmund's Church was a Victorian church, which stood in a Georgian square between Bridgegate and Queen Street in Derby; this was the only Georgian square in the city. The church and its yard were demolished in 1968 for construction of a road to improve traffic flow.
Churches dedicated to Saint Alkmund had been constructed on this site since the 9th century. Artefacts recovered from this site include a stone sarcophagus and remains of a 4-metre (13 ft) tall stone cross, both now held at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery.
The church was built in 1846 by the architect Henry Isaac Stevens at a cost of £7,700 on the site of several earlier churches stretching back to the 9th century all named after Saint Alkmund. It was constructed in ashlar stone in a gothic style. Inside the church was an architectural triumph, with high pillars and stone arches. The aisle and nave were wide and the church featured a chancel. The steeple was supported by flying buttresses.
The foundation stone was laid on 6 May 1844 and the completed church was opened on 15 September 1846 by the Bishop of Lichfield.
Construction of the church caused controversy among the Roman Catholic citizens of Derby. The 216-foot (66 m) spire was built directly in the line of sight of the Catholic St Mary's Church and, for many years, the Anglican church was referred to as "The Church of the Holy Spite". Derby painter Joseph Wright was re-buried in St Alkmund's churchyard upon completion of the building in 1846.
The church was surrounded by many two- and three-storey townhouses that lined the square and churchyard. Other buildings of interest included The Lamb Inn, opened in 1835, which featured its own brewery; a gabled sweet shop dating from the 17th century sited on the corner of the square and Bridgegate; and several shops dating to medieval times, located at the Queen Street entrance to the yard. The area was described by Sir Nikolaus Pevsner as 'A revival of 18th century unmatched, a quiet oasis.'
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