Tideswell Churches
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The "Cathedral of The Peak"
The C. of E. church of St John the Baptist, in Tideswell, is known as the 'Cathedral of the Peak', as one of the largest and certainly the most magestic churches in the area.
The existing church probably replaced a much smaller Norman one, and faint traces of this can be found in the current Chancel. The real beauty of the St John's is that it has all built about the same period, with few alterations or additions, unlike many others in England. It was started about 1320 and completed soon after 1400 with an interuption from the Black Death in between which killed nearly a third of the population of England.
With many interesting items in the church: wooded screens and the beautiful Sedilla by the altar it always warrants a look around, even if you do not go to services. In the centre of the Chancel lies the altar tomb of Sir Samson Meverill, a local knight and land-owner (1388 -1462). In the centre is the original Trinity plate, but some of the other brasses were replaced after a theft in the 1600's. In the floor of the chancel nearby there is an even older tomb - that of John Foljambe, who died in 1358. The Foljambes are thought to have come to the area with William the Conquerer as local landowners. The brass on the grave was placed there by a descendant in 1875, as the original was stolen, probably in the 17th century. Next to this is an original brass, this time to Bishop Robert Purseglove, who was born in the village about 1510 and died here in 1579. Purseglove was a renowned clergyman of his age, who became Bishop of Hull in 1538. He was an agent of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's chancellor, and was involved in the dissolution of the monasteries, becoming rich in the process. Whilst he was created a Bishop by Henry and served the protestant Edward VI, he also served as bishop under the Catholic Mary I. When Elizabeth I became Queen, all the clergy to swear an oath of supremacy to her. Purseglove apparently refused and lost his bishopric.
He retired to Tideswell and lived quietly there until his death, giving money to charities and founding the local Grammar School in 1560. The primary school in the village is still dedicated to him as is one of the lane that run alongside the church.
In the South of the church there is the Lytton chapel and the Bower chapel. One of the original bells, removed in 1928, sits on the floor of the Lytton chapel. In the floor of the aisle nearby, under a carpet, is the tomb of Robert Lytton and his wife. The purpose of the carpet is to protect the fine brasses of Robert and Isabel on their tombstone. Robert was the squire of Litton and Under-Treasurer of England in the reign of Henry VI, so he was a man of some importance. The Bower chapel contains a very imposing tomb, believed to be that of Sir Thurstan de Bower and his wife Margaret. The figures have worn over time, but are still recognisable and imposing.
As a central building within Tideswell, it stands proud as the centre point of the village. It cannot be missed in travelling through and is certainly worth spending time wandering around and within as is most imposing, especially when considering it's location, in a Peak District village.
St. John The Baptist Services
Holy Communion – 8.00 a.m First and Fifth Sundays only
Children’s Service (a simplified Holy Communion) – 9.30 a.m First Sunday each month
Kid’s Church – 9.30 a.m Third Sunday each month
Parish Eucharist – 9.30 a.m Second, Third and Fourth Sundays
On a Fifth sunday this service is held at one of the daughter churches, see notice board for details
Evensong – 6.00 p.m Fifth Sunday of month and special occasions.
Tuesday 9.15 a.m Holy Communion
Daughter Churches’ Services:
Sunday 11.00 a.m Holy Communion or Morning Worship. The monthly pattern of which service at which of the following churches varies each year- see church notice boards for timetable.
Christ Church, Litton, St. John the Evangelist, Cressbrook and St. Anne’s Millers Dale.
Contact:
The Rev’d Frank Yates Tel: 01298871317 Email: fryates@msn.com
Other Churches in Tideswell
The Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Mass Times – Sunday
9.30 a.m – Queen Street, Tideswell
11.0 a.m – St. Thomas More & St. John Fisher, Horderns Road, Chapel-en-le-Frith
Mass Times – Holy Days
Times vary
Contact
Fr. Robert Thacker, The Presbytery, Horderns Road, Chapel-en-le-Frith. Tel: 0129881391
Fountain Square Methodist and United Reform Church
Originally founded in 1888, following the closure of the United Reformed Church in Parke Street, it combined to become the Methodist and United Reformed Church.