Church of St. Mary, Ecclesfield

The exact date for the creation of a church on the site of St Mary's is unknown. The name Ecclesfield, which may mean "Church in the Field" in the Old English language, is mentioned in the Domesday Book (though the church is not), so it is possible that there might have been some sort of place of worship there before the Norman conquest of England. It has been implied by historians that the Anglo-Saxons founded a church on the site between 625 and 650. After the conquest and the repercussions of the Harrying of the North the lands around Ecclesfield passed to William de Lovetot at the start of the twelfth century. It was de Lovetot who built the first substantial church on the site, with a…

The church thrives in the twenty-first century with a few modern touches such as a kitchen, lavatory and modern heating and lighting. In 2019, the building was registered as a Major Parish Church and in 2021, work was completed to open a revised entrance at the West End which provided level access with electric doors helping the able and less able to access without external assistance. The church is built of local stone and has an octagonal font. The pulpit dates from 1876 with four panels carved with scenes from St Paul's life, the lectern was installed at the same time. Since the Second World War, both the chancel and the nave have been given new roofs. The tower contains a peal of ten…