St Peter's Church, Edensor

St Peter’s Church, Edensor
St Peter’s Church, Edensor
Coordinates: 53°13′32.04″N 1°37′33.56″W / 53.2255667°N 1.6259889°W / 53.2255667; -1.6259889
Location	Edensor
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
History
Dedication	St Peter
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade I listed[1]
Architect(s)	George Gilbert Scott
Completed	1867
Administration
Parish	Edensor
Deanery	Bakewell and Eyam
Archdeaconry	Chesterfield
Diocese	Diocese of Derby

St Peter’s Church, Edensor is a Grade I listed^[1] church in Edensor, Derbyshire.^[2] St Peter's is the closest parish church in the Church of England to Chatsworth House, home of the Dukes of Devonshire, most of whom are buried in the churchyard. St Peter’s Church, Edensor is in a joint parish with St Anne’s Church, Beeley.

Church

History

The current building of St Peter's replaced an ancient church dating from the 12th century. The original village of Edensor was located immediately next to Chatsworth House, but between 1838 and 1842 the 6th Duke of Devonshire had it moved out of sight^[2] over a hill. The planning of the new village and parish church was overseen by Joseph Paxton. St Peter's Church was rebuilt and expanded between 1867 and 1870 to the designs of the architect Sir George Gilbert Scott for the 7th Duke of Devonshire. It comprises a west steeple, nave with aisles, chancel, north vestry and south east chapel.^[3]

Memorials

• The Cavendish Memorial, a magnificent early-17th-century church monument to Henry (died 1616) and William (died 1625), commemorates the sons of Sir William Cavendish and Bess of Hardwick. William (died 1625) was the 1st Earl of Devonshire.
• The Barker family memorial commemorates a family member who fought aboard HMS Swiftsure (1804) in the Battle of Trafalgar.
• Grave of Kathleen Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington (née Kennedy, 1920–1948). Her grave is marked with a headstone and a plaque in the ground commemorating the visit of U.S. President John F. Kennedy to the gravesite.
• Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire (d. 2004), erected to commemorate his jubilee.

• 
  Cavendish Memorial
• 
  Barker memorial
• 
  Grave of Kathleen Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington. On her gravestone, it says "Joy she gave joy she has found"
• 
  Jubilee tablet to Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire

Stained glass

• 
  East window in memory of Lord Edward Cavendish. By Burlison and Grylls dating from 1892.
• 
  West window in memory of John Cottingham, steward to the 7th Duke of Devonshire. The window depicts the virtues of a good steward. By Hardman & Co. dating from 1879.
• 
  Chapel window in memory of Lord Frederick Charles Cavendish. By Hardman & Co. dating from 1882

Organ

The pipe organ was built by Bishop and Son and dates from 1873. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.^[4]

Churchyard

Sir Joseph Paxton (d. 1865) is buried in the St Peter's churchyard,^[2] as are most Dukes of Devonshire and their families, including U.S. President John F. Kennedy's sister Kathleen Kennedy, who was married to the 10th Duke's eldest son. Kennedy visited the grave during his presidency. Members of the Cavendish family buried here include:

• William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire (1790–1858), founder of modern-day Edensor
• Lord Frederick Charles Cavendish (1836–1882)
• Lucy Caroline Cavendish, née Lyttelton (1841–1925)
• William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire (1808–1891)
• Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire (1833–1908)
• Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire (1868–1938)
• Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire (1895–1950)
• Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire (1920–2004)
• Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (1920–2014)

The churchyard also contains three Commonwealth service war graves of World War I: a British soldier, a British sailor and a Canadian Army officer.^[5]

• 
  St Peter's Churchyard
• 
  St Peter's Churchyard
• 
  Grave of Sir Joseph Paxton
• 
  Cavendish family plot with the graves of the Dukes of Devonshire
• 
  View from the Cavendish family plot down to the church

• 
  Grave of the 6th Duke (d. 1858), founder of modern-day Edensor
• 
  Grave of the 7th Duke (d. 1891)
• 
  Grave of the 8th Duke (d. 1908)
• 
  Grave of the 9th Duke (d. 1938)
• 
  Grave of Kathleen Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington (née Kennedy, 1920–1948)
• 
  Grave of the 10th Duke (d. 1950)
• 
  Grave of the 11th Duke (d. 2004)

References

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