Through its conversion to Christianity from AD 653 onwards, the Mercian royal house opened up its kingdom to a belief which had become firmly established in the southern Peak by the following century. An important early Christian cross of around AD800 stands in Bradbourne churchyard, from where an old track passes over ancient mossy gravestones before heading out across the fields directly to the tiny chapel of Ballidon, a little over a mile away.

This chapel, enclosed by a low stone wall in the middle of an open field, was erected in Norman times as a chapel of ease to Bradbourne. Together they were given in 1205 to Dunstable Priory, with whom a serious dispute arose in 1287 when the Priory was offered three or four sheaves of corn, harvested from a small corner of meadow which it held in lieu of tithe. Certain tenants of Dame Ellen, whose dower included the manor of ‘Baldene in Pecco’, had newly brought the entire meadow into cultivation but after the Priory claimed tithe on the rest of the crop, it was decided to leave the land uncultivated in future.

Consisting simply of nave and chancel and less than 50 feet in length, the unassuming little chapel of All Saints was open to the sky until roofed with stone slabs in a thorough restoration of 1822, its floor carpeted annually with rushes in those days. Only with the addition of a roof were pews installed. Old frescoes were lost for ever under a coat of plaster, later removed down to the natural stone, and much early stonework was affected. Norman workmanship is still apparent in the renovated south doorway and the deep plain chancel arch. The east window and two south wall windows are late 15th-century Perpendicular.The south porch and vestry were added in 1882/3.

Rare Simplicity The porch, lit by two tiny stained glass windows, opens into a chapel of rare simplicity. Now left stranded half-way up the west wall is a unique feature from pre-Reformation times, the fireplace of a long-demolished upper room used as overnight accommodation by the priest from the mother church, either during bad weather or perhaps before rising for early Mass.

More curious still is the reason for the strange order of designs on the font, which in mid-Victorian times were found to be choked with plaster and whitewash. Clearly visible now are three octagonal bands of carvings, the topmost obviously upside-down, the lowest the right way up, whilst the middle band could be either. In the north-east angle of the nave an altar of polished stone has an oak-framed painted reredos of four scenes from the life of Christ. Displayed above is The Creed, painted onto cream glazed tiles and matched by the Lord's Prayer. Two further tiled plaques beside the east window share the Ten Commandments. A single tile of the Crucifixion decorates a door which opens in the oak reredos to reveal a deep cupboard framed by an arch with painted chevron moulding, a simple cross fixed to its rear wall.

A distinct slope in the floor of the nave reflects the lie of the site, rising further by means of four steps into the chancel. Just one oak choir stall stands at either side of the small chancel, with room too for an organ, bought for £15 from Bradbourne when a new one was installed there in 1893. A tiny stone room behind the organ, barely two yards long and one yard across, but with a fireplace and two small windows, serves as the vestry. For the benefit of nobody in particular a notice here confirms ‘Banns may be published and Marriages may be Solemnised in this chapel - Francis Crombie vicar 1885’.

Dating from the same era is the stained glass Resurrection window above the altar, installed as a memorial to Samuel Berisford who worshipped here for half a century, having served as churchwarden for thirty years. He died in 1883 in his 86th year. A book of altar services was presented in memory of churchwarden John Etches in 1948, matched almost twenty years ago by a large bible after the death of his widow, Ethel.

Close to the altar a wooden bracket supports a domed brass cupboard of detailed workmanship with angels decorating its doors. Another treasured feature is the pair of splendid brass chandeliers, a golden contrast to Ballidon's humble and clearly much loved chapel of ease.

© Julie Bunting
From "The Peak Advertiser", 30th August 1999.