St Mary's Church, Chaddesden

St Mary's was rebuilt by Henry Chaddesden, Archdeacon of Leicester, in approximately 1347; the chancel dates from this period. The church contains a 15th-century rood screen and an unusual chalice-shaped font which may be over 600 years old. The church has long been associated with the Wilmot family, who formerly owned much land around the then village of Chaddesden from the Mediaeval period. The monuments of several members of the family can be seen in the churchyard. The Wilmots' seat was the now demolished Chaddesden Hall, close to the church; the former grounds of the house form the modern Chaddesden Park, adjacent to St Mary's. One member of the family, Robert Wilmot, founded the…

The peal of three bells dates from ca. 1499 (Mellours), 1652 (George Oldfield) and 1742 (Thomas Hedderly), and is currently unringable. However, a local community group was set up in 2023 to raise the funds necessary to get the bells back to full swing, and the project is expected to be completed in 2025/2026.

On 20 June 1952, the church was designated a Grade I listed building. As of 2019, however, the roof of the main part of the building has been entirely replaced with Westmorland Green Slate in a £250,000 project, largely funded by Historic England among others. St Mary's Church is within the Conservative Evangelical tradition of the Church of England. It receives alternative episcopal oversight from the Bishop of Ebbsfleet.