Church and chapel

UPCOMING SERVICES

Below are the dates for the services for residents of the Parish of Longstone – to the end of August 2025.

St Giles is now a part of the larger Bakewell Benefice and services will take place at various locations and not necessarily in Great Longstone or Wardlow.

Note that the name in Bold is the location of the service.

17th August Eucharist at 10.30am at Rowsley with St Giles visiting

24th August Eucharist at 10.30am at St Giles with Wardlow visiting

31st  August Benefice Eucharist at 9.30am at Ashford

7th September Eucharist at 10.30am at St Giles with Wardlow visiting
7th September Evensong at 6pm at St Giles

14th September Eucharist at 9.30am at Ashford with St Giles visiting

21st September Eucharist at 10.30am at St Giles with Rowsley visiting
21st September Benefice Evensong at 6pm at Bakewell

28th September Morning Worship at 10.30am at St Giles
28th September Harvest Festival at 4pm at Wardlow

The Parish

The ancient Ecclesiastical Parish of Longstone includes five villages and hamlets:  Great Longstone, Little Longstone, Rowland, Hassop, and Wardlow. Under the 1894 Local Government Act the five villages and hamlets were all made Civil Parishes, but they are still part of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Longstone.

The medieval Parish Church of St Giles is situated in the village of Great Longstone.  It is listed Grade 1 because of its fine medieval roof and the quality of its restoration in 1873 by the architect, Richard Norman Shaw.

In the parish, there is also a 19th century Chapel of Ease in Wardlow, which is listed Grade 2.

St Giles Parish Church

For enquiries about baptisms (Christenings), marriages and funerals in the Parish of Longstone please contact the Churchwardens.

The Churchwardens of St Giles are:
Richard Carter – telephone: 07900 980967
Frank Hammond – telephone: 07935 873930

The church is open for visitors every day from around 9am till dusk. There are church guide books available.

Booklets and Cards in connection with the new ‘Bosses Installation’ are available to purchase – a card reader is available for purchases or Church donations.

An excellent record of the churchyard and cemetery memorials (and maps), produced by the Local History society, are available here: http://www.thrower.org.uk/longstone/monunew.htm

The parish registers are now kept at the Derbyshire County Council Records Office in Matlock. Their records state the following about St Giles:

GREAT LONGSTONE, St Giles (D2373) includes townships of Little Longstone, Wardlow, Rowland (from mid 19th century) and Hassop (from c1910).
Originally parochial chapelry in parish of Bakewell.
Became separate parish 1852. No entries for baptisms, burials 1743-1764, marriages 1740-1754

They have original records and microfilms which cover slightly different dates. The records include:

• Original Registers in the DRO
  • Baptisms 1637-1742 1765-1955
  • Marriages 1637-1739 1755-1812 1817-1968
  • Banns of Marriage 1868-1926
  • Burials 1637-1742 1765-1880
• Microfilms in the DRO
  • Baptisms 1637-1742 1765-1955
  • Marriages 1637-1739 1755-1812 1817-1943
  • Banns of Marriage 1868-1880
  • Burials 1637-1742 1765-1856

Great Longstone Methodist Church

Sadly, the Great Longstone Methodist Chapel in Station Road closed at the end of April 2020.

The main building was erected on land donated by Mrs Maria Furniss in 1843: a large stone that was originally on the outside of the church states that it was a Wesleyan Methodist Chapel.  In 1937, the extension to the edge of Station Road was done by Mettam’s of Bakewell: electricity was installed to the entire building at the same time.  The grand total for all this work was just over £230: it was noted that this debt was cleared within the year.

The halcyon days of the chapel were in the 1950s and 1960s when a congregation of often over 20 people attended evening worship.  Mr & Mrs Mosley (Hubert and Molly) frequently provided meals for visiting preachers.  There was also a striving Sunday School, led by Miss Greta Jardine – she was, I believe, the last headmistress of Bakewell Girl’s School.

Congregation numbers started to fall throughout the 1970s, and in 1993 (the 150th anniversary of the Chapel) the old pews were removed and replaced by 40 chairs enabling more diverse use of the building.  In addition the main part of the chapel had fitted carpet put in place.

In 2004 a Local Ecumenical Partnership was entered into with St Giles’ Parish Church and United Services have taken place at different times over the years.  More recently, the congregation has diminished and we now have a membership number that is too small to continue.  Reverent Adrian Perry has been most supportive in helping us come to the difficult decisions we have had to make.  It was hoped that our final service of thanksgiving would have taken place on Sunday 26th April 2020 at 6.30pm, when it would have been wonderful to have had a good attendance – but sadly this was not to be, due to the coronavirus directives.

Most of the “regulars” now worship at St Giles’, and I would personally like to express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude for the way we have been welcomed there by everyone.

Peter Shimwell
Autumn 2023

The Chapel has now been updated to be one of the overnight stays on the Peak Wesley Way Pilgrimage. The main worship area is now equipped with comfortable camp beds and throws, creating a warm and welcoming overnight stay (six people maximum per night). A shower and toilet have been established as well as a kitchenette. A basic DIY breakfast is available before pilgrims walk on to their next Peak Methodist Chapel venue. Historical information about the Chapel and the village are displayed.

Please ring Sheila Travis on 07763 473698 or email Sheila.travis@btinternet.com if you would like to be included on the rota to welcome pilgrims to our village, or would like to be considered as a part-time Pilgrimage Manager.

Sheila Travis.