England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Kirk Ireton Holy Trinity

The Parish

The parish of Kirk Ireton lies in the western portion of central Derbyshire, not too far from its border with neighbouring Staffordshire. Kirk Ireton is located in the southern Peak District about 3 miles south of the large village of Wirksworth and 6 miles northeast of the market town of Ashbourne. Kirk Ireton is a compact village located in lanes a mile west of the B5023 road which links Wirksworth with Duffield. Kirk Ireton was almost totally dominated by two ways of life, pastoral farming and limestone quarrying, this being an attractive upland area nowadays tourism adds to the repertoire. Today the western portion of Kirk Ireton parish is dominated by Carsington Reservoir but the drainage of the village is headed eastwards to join the River Ecclesbourn, this joins the Derwent at Duffield and eventually the Trent before reaching the North Sea through the Humber estuary. Kirk Ireton is sited at 210 metres above the sea, land rises to both north and south in a ridge extending northwards to the main heights of the White Peak. By the standards of upland Derbyshire Kirk Ireton parish was relatively small, it covered over 2,200 acres and supported just under 500 parishioners. In Domesday Times Kirk Ireton was held directly by King William and supported 18 ploughs as well as possessing woodland and meadows.

The Church

Holy Trinity church stands at the eastern end of Kirk Ireton on a sharp bend in the lane which leads to the B5023. The church is an ancient edifice much of which dates from the 13th century and is Norman in design. Pevsner states that the western tower, a bulwark against the upland weather, is clearly early and cites the south doorway and arcade as other Norman features. The chancel is perhaps later with a Perpendicular chancel arch. For once the church was not unduly changed by well-minded Victorians and it was clearly built to last despite its testing upland environment. The site has a strong north to south slope, the southern side being high above the lane has a retaining wall, as you progress around the sharp bend the wall eventually rises above the level of the graveyard. Entrance is at the eastern end where a massive stone gateway grants access to a graveyard that, despite the inevitable couple of yews, is largely clear of obstructions to photography.