All Saints Church, Bakewell

All Saints’ Church stands in the centre of Bakewell, a small town in the Peak District of Derbyshire. The first church was founded in 920, and the churchyard still holds two 9th-century stone crosses. Restoration in the 1840s uncovered Anglo-Saxon carvings and ancient coffins beneath the porch. The present building began in the 12th century with Norman features, though only the west front and part of the nave remain from that period. Between 1220 and 1240 the rest was rebuilt in Early English style, and a spire was added in 1340 before being removed in the 19th century. The church is worth visiting for its layers of history and fine craftsmanship. The 1841–44 rebuilding by William Flockton introduced new piers, steam heating, and re-pewed seating under architects John Grey Weightman and Matthew Ellison Hadfield. Later, George Gilbert Scott Jr restored the chancel between 1879 and 1882, adding a marble pavement, carved screen, and reredos. The Vernon Chapel preserves tombs of the Vernon and Manners families, including Sir George Vernon, father of Dorothy Vernon who eloped with John Manners. Inside, visitors find the 14th-century baptismal font and rare alabaster monument to Sir Godfrey de Foljambe and his wife. Stained glass by Hardman & Co and Henry Holiday fills the windows, while the organ, rebuilt over many years, now has three manuals and forty-two speaking stops. The church continues to host concerts, school services, and regular worship, linking past and present in the heart of Bakewell.