Tissington St Mary’s church dates back to Norman times, probably being built shortly after 1100. It is known to have been a place of worship since Celtic and Saxon times. Records show it it was a well established church by 1227.
Its church tower has walls about 4 feet thick at the base and one of the original windows may still be seen on the south side. The buttresses were added later, probably when the roof was altered in the 13th century. Chancel and south doorway of the present church date back to Norman times, with the doorway featuring a Norman tympanum containing two small standing figures. The belfry contains 3 bells. Extensive restoration was carried out in 1854 when the north aisle was added. Many typically Norman attributes remain.
It contains monuments to the Fitzherbert family.
The chest with the exception of the font is the oldest item in the Church. During the nineteenth century an expert dated it as thirteenth century. The main evidence on which this was based was the ‘snake head’ design on the ironwork. The chest has three locks. Keys being held by the Priest, his Warden and the peoples’ Warden.
It was necessary for all three to consent to its opening.
A badly worn sundial can be found on the south wall of the church the faint Roman numerals can just be made out.
This old and badly worn cross base with no cross shaft can be found near the churchyard wall on the north side of the church.
This headstone bears a sad reference to a Tissington man who lost his life in the Titanic disaster.
A brother and sister were employed on the Titanic as steward and stewardess. Frank Richard Allsop was employed as saloon steward and his sister, whose married name was Maclaren, as stewardess.
Richard perished in the disaster but his sister fortunately survived.
Richard’s body was lost at sea and never recovered but there is an inscription to his memory in Tissington churchyard on the headstone of his grandfather Richard Allsop and father James Allsop.
The inscription reads –
IN MEMORY OF
RICHARD ALLSOP
DIED NOV 30 1829
AGED 35 YEARS
ALSO JAMES
SON OF THE ABOVE
BORN SEP1 1827
DIED APRIL 6 1917
ALSO OF FRANK RICHARD
SON OF THE ABOVE
WHO WAS DROWNDED [sic] ON THE
TITANIC, APRIL 15 1912
AGED 43 YEARS
NEARER MY GOD TO THEE
there is also a smaller stone placed in front with the inscription –
J A
1917
