For this church:

Introduction

Location

History

Archaeology

Contacts

Fittings

Glass

Organ

Bells

Clock

Stonework

Monuments

War Memorial

Churchyard

References

Pictures

Plans

Listing Description

List of Incumbents

Parish page

Kirkby-in-Ashfield St Wilfrid

Features and Fittings

Altar and reredos

Altar, Reredos and Panelling

The Reredos and Panelling in the Sanctuary has the inscription:

It was given by Miss Wood and dedicated by the Rector, the Rev J W Smith. The reredos is made of solid oak and features five biblical scenes: The Annunciation, The Birth of Christ, The Crucifixion, The Resurrection and Mary in the Garden. The carvings involve a colour scheme of blue, red, green and gold. At the dedication, the Rev J W Smith spoke of Katherine Hodgkinson as of a shy and retiring disposition, generous and sympathetic. He said that no appeal that was made to her was made in vain. Miss Hodgkinson had loved her church dearly and had, over the years, given a considerable sum of money for church purposes.

Sanctuary Lamp

An electrified Sanctuary Lamp is suspended from the ceiling within St Hilda’s Chapel and carries the inscription:

Sedilia

Against the south wall of the sanctuary there is a set of free-standing sedilia in oak inscribed:

Choir Stalls

The choir stalls date from the fitting out of the rebuilt church in 1907. In 1975, music desks were affixed to the choir stalls and there is a plate inscribed:

Clergy Chairs and Kneeling Desks

At the east end of the nave, near the chancel steps, there are two clergy chairs with companion kneeling desks. The larger chair and desk are mounted on an integrated plinth, whilst the smaller ones are not.

Screen

The screen, which is also of oak, and replaced the chancel arch, was installed during the fitting out of the church in 1907.

Pulpit

The pulpit was also installed during the fitting out of the church in 1907. It is of oak, with an oak pedestal. All is beautifully carved with a well-proportioned design, but the name of the craftsman is not known.

Wooden lectern

Lectern

There is also a free-standing wooden lectern which is used when required.

Nave pews

The nave pews again were installed during the fitting out of the church in 1907. Originally, there were 13 pews on either side of the central aisle of the nave and 16 shorter pews against the south wall of the south aisle. In more recent years, pews have been removed to create a larger space to the west of the chancel and to ensure that St Hilda’s Chapel is clearly delineated.

Samuel Grimm Drawings

On the north wall of the nave there are copies of two drawings by Samuel Grimm, obtained by Revd Richard Birt (Rector 1975-1981), and placed side by side in the one frame. One is inscribed in the artist’s hand: “Inside of Kirkby Church, Notts” and signed “Samuel Grimm 1775” and the other is called “East Window of Chancel” and signed “Samuel Grimm 1775”. Mr Birt also acquired copies of other Grimm drawings which are not displayed but are in the safe-keeping of the Churchwardens.

Samuel Hieronymous Grimm (1733-1794) was a Swiss artist, who, in 1768, took up residence in London. He was a prolific artist who received many commissions from a variety of friends and clients. The most significant of these was Sir Richard Kaye (1736-1809), Rector of Kirkby-in-Ashfield from 1765 until his death. Kaye's collection, now in the British Library, runs to some 2500 finished pictures. The counties most represented reflect Kaye's succession of ecclesiastical preferments, in Nottinghamshire, the north-east, and Lincolnshire.

The font

Baptistry and Font

The Baptistry is within the Tower and the stone font is beautifully carved with leaf carving. The font cover is a plain hexagonal wooden cover placed flat on the font itself, topped with a triangular wrought-iron pinnacle.

One of the banners

Banners

Between Windows 7 and 8, there is a wall-hanging with the wording:

COME WORSHIP THE LORD Rejoice in Him

On the wall of the south aisle is a banner, which is inscribed in the bottom left-hand corner:

St Wilfrid’s Children’s Workshop, Good Friday 2001

Three banners are laid up in the church, fixed to the south wall of the Baptistry within the Tower.