Ilam is a small village in the Manifold valley, not far from
the Derbyshire border and close to Thorpe Cloud and the entrance
to Dovedale. The river goes underground at Wetton and re-appears
four miles away close to llam Hall. Apparently Dr. Johnson, "in
his usual masterful way, refused to believe that the Manifold
disappeared underground"[1].
The stone built church, which is close to the Hall, is in
the Early English style and was restored by Sir Gilbert Scott
in 1856[2].
When the church was re-consecrated a Derbyshire newspaper commented
that "the most material addition has been a new aisle
on the north side, capable of accommodating 50 worshippers.
The rest of the church has, however, been so much altered that
no part of it would probably be recognised, save the venerable
old porch, by those who knew it in its former condition"[3].
Scott raised the rooves and re-tiled them. He also raised
the western tower and added what is known as a saddleback roof;
the roof was topped with a ridge and has two sloping sides,
so the structure underneath has two gable ends - hence the
term saddle backed. The trefoiled opening below the roof is
for the belfry. There is another on the far side of the tower.
Ebenezer Rhodes had visited Ilam in the autumn of 1820 on
an excursion to Dovedale not long before the old hall
was knocked down. "Workmen were excavating
a vault on the north side, where a spacious Gothic chapel
... was to be erected". The octagonal chapel, shown
on the left above, was to house a Chantrey monument in memory
of David Pike Watts, a former owner of the Ilam estate[4].
A hundred years later Thomas Tudor thought Chantrey's technique
was a tour de force but was less impressed by the life
size figures[5].
Watts is shown on his death bed, with his arm resting on a
pillow and holding a bible in one hand. He is blessing his
only daughter (Mary Watts Russell) and her three children with
his other hand[6].
Tudor may not have liked it but many others describe it as
a gem of monumental art.
There are also early seventeenth century tombs to the Meverell
family of Throwley Hall and the daughter of the family who
married Thomas, 4th Lord Cromwell. A shrine to St. Bertram
is in the south chancel aisle and memorials to the Ports, former
lords of the manor, can also be found inside the church[2].
Rhodes' description of how the church looked at the beginning
of the 1820s is interesting. "The tower appears to
be a structure of foliage, for the stone work is so invested
with ivy as to be almost entirely obscured with its verdant
covering; and the dial of the clock is half buried amongst
thickly entwined leaves. Ash, elder, and wild roses, of the
most luxuriant growth and colour, flourish close around the
walls of the church, and the adjoining burial ground is covered
with the richest verdure, amongst which a grey stone occasionally
appears, inscribed to the memory of those who sleep beneath.
No fence or lawn marks this sequestered spot : towards the
house it is open to the lawn, or only separated from it by
an invisible fence ..."[4]
Many others visited Ilam. The village was on the tourist route
for visitors to Matlock Bath, for example, who would hire
a wagonette and later a charabanc to travel here on their way
to Dovedale. The web mistress first came here as fourteen year
old schoolgirl, picnicking on the grass outside the church
fence one summer afternoon. It is an idyllic spot.
View of the south porch and the 1855/6 east window.
Note that the ivy described by Rhodes had regrown.
The sender wrote "I think this is such a lovely looking
old church". |
Also see, elsewhere on this web site:
 "The
Panorama of Matlock", pp20-30. Scroll down to
the section on Dovedale.
The
Gentleman's Magazine Library - The Peak, see p.48
|
