St Stephen's Church, Woodville

St Stephen’s Church stands in the village of Woodville, Derbyshire, as a Grade II listed parish church of the Church of England. The building occupies a one-acre plot donated by Barbara Rawdon-Hastings, Marchioness of Hastings. Its design came from the architect Henry Isaac Stevens, who laid the corner stone in 1845. Richard Curzon-Howe, 1st Earl Howe, performed the ceremony in front of Hon. Capt. Curzon and the Rev. Marmaduke Vavasour. Transept arches were built into the walls to allow for future enlargement. The apse is paved with Minton encaustic tiles in black, buff and red. The church was consecrated on 8 December 1846 by the Bishop of Peterborough, Rt. Revd. George Davys. It forms part of a joint parish with St Margaret’s Church in nearby Blackfordby. A pipe organ was installed by Albert E Pease, whose specification can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register. The building’s history began at a meeting held on St Stephen’s Day in 1843, which first expressed the need for a church in Woodville. The dedication was chosen to mark the day of that initial gathering. Inside, visitors find a nave with transept arches ready for possible expansion. The apse is paved with patterned Minton tiles in three colours. The pipe organ by Albert E Pease occupies a prominent position within the church. The walls contain memorials and fittings from the mid-19th century. The building’s simple Gothic style reflects the tastes of the period. The village setting keeps the church at the heart of Woodville’s community life.