The Flickr Englandsthousandbestchurches Image Generatr

This beautiful Grade I-listed church in Rothwell in Northamptonshire dates from the the early 12th century. It is considered to be one of England's Thousand Best Churches and is renowned for many of its features, including its subterranean charnel chapel with its medieval ossuary (a collection of human bones). There are the skulls of some 2,500 people.

The Norman church survives in the chancel, but in the following centuries the church was greatly enlarged. In the early 14th century transepts were added on the south and north side although these were later demolished in the 17th century. The nave is currently the longest in Northamptonshire and at one time was even longer. At one time the church had a fine steeple, but this collapsed in 1660.

My sources included the National Churches Trust and Sir Simon Jenkins' book: England's Thousand Best Churches.
A detailed architectural description can be found at:

britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101288778-church-of-holy-tri...

A remote village in Derbyshire's Peak District with a rich history dating back to pre-Roman times.

It's mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was granted a market charter in 1251.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tideswell


St John The Baptist
Church of England

One of Simon Jenkins' "England's Thousand Best Churches".

This church is rightly known as the 'Cathedral of the Peak', for it is one of the largest and certainly the most perfect church in the area.

The present church probably replaced a much smaller Norman one, and faint traces of this may be seen in the Chancel.

The beauty of the current church is that it was all built about the same period, with few alterations or additions, being started about 1320 and completed soon after 1400.

The Nave, Aisles and Transepts were begun about 1340 in the Late Gothic style, and the Chancel and Tower were added at the end of that century in a Perpendicular style.

Grade I Listed.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John_the_Baptist,_Tideswell

A remote village in Derbyshire's Peak District with a rich history dating back to pre-Roman times.

It's mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was granted a market charter in 1251.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tideswell


St John The Baptist
Church of England

One of Simon Jenkins' "England's Thousand Best Churches".

This church is rightly known as the 'Cathedral of the Peak', for it is one of the largest and certainly the most perfect church in the area.

The present church probably replaced a much smaller Norman one, and faint traces of this may be seen in the Chancel.

The beauty of the current church is that it was all built about the same period, with few alterations or additions, being started about 1320 and completed soon after 1400.

The Nave, Aisles and Transepts were begun about 1340 in the Late Gothic style, and the Chancel and Tower were added at the end of that century in a Perpendicular style.

Grade I Listed.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John_the_Baptist,_Tideswell

A remote village in Derbyshire's Peak District with a rich history dating back to pre-Roman times.

It's mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was granted a market charter in 1251.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tideswell


St John The Baptist
Church of England

One of Simon Jenkins' "England's Thousand Best Churches".

This church is rightly known as the 'Cathedral of the Peak', for it is one of the largest and certainly the most perfect church in the area.

The present church probably replaced a much smaller Norman one, and faint traces of this may be seen in the Chancel.

The beauty of the current church is that it was all built about the same period, with few alterations or additions, being started about 1320 and completed soon after 1400.

The Nave, Aisles and Transepts were begun about 1340 in the Late Gothic style, and the Chancel and Tower were added at the end of that century in a Perpendicular style.

Grade I Listed.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John_the_Baptist,_Tideswell

A remote village in Derbyshire's Peak District with a rich history dating back to pre-Roman times.

It's mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was granted a market charter in 1251.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tideswell


St John The Baptist
Church of England

One of Simon Jenkins' "England's Thousand Best Churches".

This church is rightly known as the 'Cathedral of the Peak', for it is one of the largest and certainly the most perfect church in the area.

The present church probably replaced a much smaller Norman one, and faint traces of this may be seen in the Chancel.

The beauty of the current church is that it was all built about the same period, with few alterations or additions, being started about 1320 and completed soon after 1400.

The Nave, Aisles and Transepts were begun about 1340 in the Late Gothic style, and the Chancel and Tower were added at the end of that century in a Perpendicular style.

Grade I Listed.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John_the_Baptist,_Tideswell

A remote village in Derbyshire's Peak District with a rich history dating back to pre-Roman times.

It's mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was granted a market charter in 1251.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tideswell


St John The Baptist
Church of England

One of Simon Jenkins' "England's Thousand Best Churches".

This church is rightly known as the 'Cathedral of the Peak', for it is one of the largest and certainly the most perfect church in the area.

The present church probably replaced a much smaller Norman one, and faint traces of this may be seen in the Chancel.

The beauty of the current church is that it was all built about the same period, with few alterations or additions, being started about 1320 and completed soon after 1400.

The Nave, Aisles and Transepts were begun about 1340 in the Late Gothic style, and the Chancel and Tower were added at the end of that century in a Perpendicular style.

Grade I Listed.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John_the_Baptist,_Tideswell


North Aisle

Organ
by Forster and Andrews, of Hull
1895

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forster_and_Andrews

Explored 23-04-2025 Highest position #472

A remote village in Derbyshire's Peak District with a rich history dating back to pre-Roman times.

It's mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was granted a market charter in 1251.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tideswell


St John The Baptist
Church of England

One of Simon Jenkins' "England's Thousand Best Churches".

This church is rightly known as the 'Cathedral of the Peak', for it is one of the largest and certainly the most perfect church in the area.

The present church probably replaced a much smaller Norman one, and faint traces of this may be seen in the Chancel.

The beauty of the current church is that it was all built about the same period, with few alterations or additions, being started about 1320 and completed soon after 1400.

The Nave, Aisles and Transepts were begun about 1340 in the Late Gothic style, and the Chancel and Tower were added at the end of that century in a Perpendicular style.

Grade I Listed.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John_the_Baptist,_Tideswell


The Nave
Looking East

A remote village in Derbyshire's Peak District with a rich history dating back to pre-Roman times.

It's mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was granted a market charter in 1251.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tideswell


St John The Baptist
Church of England

One of Simon Jenkins' "England's Thousand Best Churches".

This church is rightly known as the 'Cathedral of the Peak', for it is one of the largest and certainly the most perfect church in the area.

The present church probably replaced a much smaller Norman one, and faint traces of this may be seen in the Chancel.

The beauty of the current church is that it was all built about the same period, with few alterations or additions, being started about 1320 and completed soon after 1400.

The Nave, Aisles and Transepts were begun about 1340 in the Late Gothic style, and the Chancel and Tower were added at the end of that century in a Perpendicular style.

Grade I Listed.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John_the_Baptist,_Tideswell


South Aisle

East Window
by Alfred Fisher, Chapel Studio
1966

In memory of William Newton, the Minstrel of The Peak

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Newton_(poet)

A remote village in Derbyshire's Peak District with a rich history dating back to pre-Roman times.

It's mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was granted a market charter in 1251.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tideswell


St John The Baptist
Church of England

One of Simon Jenkins' "England's Thousand Best Churches".

This church is rightly known as the 'Cathedral of the Peak', for it is one of the largest and certainly the most perfect church in the area.

The present church probably replaced a much smaller Norman one, and faint traces of this may be seen in the Chancel.

The beauty of the current church is that it was all built about the same period, with few alterations or additions, being started about 1320 and completed soon after 1400.

The Nave, Aisles and Transepts were begun about 1340 in the Late Gothic style, and the Chancel and Tower were added at the end of that century in a Perpendicular style.

Grade I Listed.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John_the_Baptist,_Tideswell


The Chancel
Looking East

East Window

Jesse Window
by Heaton, Butler, and Bayne
1875

Memorial window in memory of Louisa and Frederick Foljambe.

St Andrew
Church of England

A gem of a church in a parkland setting of what was once Wheatfield House – destroyed by a fire in 1814.

The church does not have mains water or an electricity supply and is only used in the summer months.

One of Simon Jenkins' "England's Thousand Best Churches".

Simon says: "It was the first of my 'thousand churches' and it will always be my favourite".

Grade I Listed.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheatfield,_Oxfordshire

When we are staying at our holiday home in the far north of Lancashire one of our favourite outings is to the pretty little village of Cartmel, in the Furness area of Cumbria. Cartmel Priory Church is reckoned to be the finest church in the north-west of England, and it survived the Reformation in the 1530s because the villagers petitioned King Henry VIII to spare their only place of worship. Most of the Priory's other buildings were destroyed, apart from the gatehouse.

West wall and south porch.

The fabric of the church is 7th century with reused Roman stone. It iies in a circular (Celtic) churchyard. From the outside it is a double-cell chapel with no tower. The south porch is a later addition.

Chancel arch. The plaster on the underside with its traces of abstract 'scroll-work' design is thought to be 15th century.

The fabric of the church is 7th century with reused Roman stone. It iies in a circular (Celtic) churchyard. From the outside it is a double-cell chapel with no tower. The south porch is a later addition.

West wall. The window is 19th century.

The fabric of the church is 7th century with reused Roman stone. It iies in a circular (Celtic) churchyard. From the outside it is a double-cell chapel with no tower. The south porch is a later addition.

This north wall doorway, now filled in, once connected with a vestry that was added to the chancel.

The fabric of the church is 7th century with reused Roman stone. It iies in a circular (Celtic) churchyard. From the outside it is a double-cell chapel with no tower. The south porch is a later addition.

Porch interior. Grave slab, and to the right is the remains of a Saxon stone cross, very basic and probably unfinished.

The fabric of the church is 7th century with reused Roman stone. It iies in a circular (Celtic) churchyard. From the outside it is a double-cell chapel with no tower. The south porch is a later addition.

Porch interior. Remains of a Saxon stone cross.

The fabric of the church is 7th century with reused Roman stone. It iies in a circular (Celtic) churchyard. From the outside it is a double-cell chapel with no tower. The south porch is a later addition.

South wall. The long narrow window is 13th century, the window to its left is 18th/19th century.

The fabric of the church is 7th century with reused Roman stone. It iies in a circular (Celtic) churchyard. From the outside it is a double-cell chapel with no tower. The south porch is a later addition.

Sanctuary: piscina, probably 13th century.

The fabric of the church is 7th century with reused Roman stone. It iies in a circular (Celtic) churchyard. From the outside it is a double-cell chapel with no tower. The south porch is a later addition.

Floral display.

The fabric of the church is 7th century with reused Roman stone. It iies in a circular (Celtic) churchyard. From the outside it is a double-cell chapel with no tower. The south porch is a later addition.