Church of All Saints

All Saints’ Church stands in the village of Ashover, Derbyshire, among rolling hills in the East Midlands. Built mainly between 1350 and 1419 by Thomas Babington, it mixes a 13th-century porch with later medieval work. The north aisle dates from the mid-14th century, while the tower and belfry were opened out in the 19th-century restoration. Inside, plain pillars support pointed arches that frame the nave and aisles. A small reredos now stands at the east end after earlier shifts in layout. The church belongs to a joint parish with Holy Trinity in Brackenfield and Christ Church in Wessington. The building’s history is visible in its fabric. In 1886 Wans and Jolley of Nottingham removed the western gallery and stripped plaster from walls and arches. Ten years later Percy Heylyn Currey oversaw new oak pews carved by G and W Eastwood and relaid the floor with maple blocking. The organ installed in 1886 by Abbott of Leeds has gone, but records list organists from George Henry Sadler to Bertram Hopkinson. These restorations preserved the church’s medieval core while adapting it for later worship. Visitors find a quiet interior of stone and wood. The stripped arches and plain pillars give a sense of solidity and age. The pews, still in use, show the craft of the Eastwoods. The small reredos at the east end marks a deliberate change from earlier arrangements. Outside, the 13th-century porch and 14th-century aisle contrast with the later tower. The surrounding village lanes lead uphill to views over the Derbyshire countryside.