Local Information
Parochial Church Council
St James Church is Grade II Listed and was consecrated in 1855. It has served the Parishes of Idridgehay and Alton since that time. Services are generally held on the second and fourth Sundays of the month at 11.00am. Refreshments are always served afterwards and all are welcome.
As well as our regular services the church is available for Life Events of Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals. In 2012 the church building was adapted to include a meeting and social place – the Alton Room, a kitchen and accessible toilet. Coffee Mornings are held on the first Wednesday of the month from 10.15am to 11.45am and we are always happy to see people for a chat and catch up.
The Church is open 24 hours a day. Open the door. Come in and have a wander. We are very proud of our visitor book and the lovely comments we receive.
The church is ‘run’ by the Parochial Church Council of Idridgehay. This consists of the churchwarden, a member of the clergy, and elected church members – all local people, all volunteers. We currently have 9 people doing our best to keep the church open. We receive no financial help from the Church of England to keep our church open. Our two main fundraisers each year are the Summer Garden Fete and the Christmas Fair and we also have a Friends of St James Scheme, all to provide us with additional income to help support the upkeep of the building in the village.
Our key responsibilities are:
- Mission and Management: Working alongside the parish priest to promote the spiritual mission of the church in the local community.
- Financial Oversight: Managing the parish budget, collections, and overall expenditure.
- Care of Assets: Holding legal responsibility for the maintenance and repair of the church building, churchyard, and parish assets like church halls.
- Charity Trusteeship: Operating as a recognized corporate charity, meaning every PCC member legally acts as a charity trustee.
We are part of the Wirksworth Team Ministry which consists of a group of 10 churches in the Derbyshire Dales – although St James, Idridgehay sits in the Amber Valley Borough Council area. The Team Ministry provides help and support to us all. The team sits within the Diocese of Derby who are The Church of England in Derbyshire and parish support office for the Diocese of Derby.
The Churchwarden is Peter Matthews, email: peter.matthews@w3z.co.uk. Contact number 07717 006587.
Wirksworth Team Ministry, The Maltings, St Marys Gate, Wirksworth DE4 4DQ email: teamoffice@wirksworthteamministry.co.uk Contact number 01629 824707
Further information can be found on the WTM website – https://www.wirksworthteamministry.co.uk/