Church of St Wilfrid

St Wilfrid’s Church stands in the quiet village of Barrow upon Trent in Derbyshire. It is a Grade I listed parish church of the Church of England and one of the oldest buildings in the area. The church began as an Anglo-Saxon structure built before the Norman Conquest. In 1165 Robert de Bakepuiz gave it to the Knights Hospitaller, who enlarged and altered it until the 16th century. The churchyard contains the grave of Anne Mozley, who edited the Anglican papers of Cardinal John Newman. The church is worth visiting for its rare early alabaster effigy of a priest. The effigy is believed to represent John de Belton and is the oldest surviving alabaster figure of a priest in England. The building also appears in the Domesday Book alongside the village, linking it to the Norman survey of 1086. Inside, memorials commemorate local people such as Elizabeth Milward, who died in 1610, and John Bancroft, whose monument was carved by W Barton of Derby in 1803. Inside, the church holds several wall memorials to 17th- and 19th-century parishioners. The nave and chancel retain the proportions set by the Knights Hospitaller centuries ago. Outside, the churchyard is bordered by mature yews and offers views across the Trent valley. The building’s simple stonework and small windows show its origins in Anglo-Saxon and medieval craftsmanship.