Chapel of St Mary on the Bridge
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The Chapel of St. Mary on the bridge is one of only six surviving bridge chapels in England. It stands on the one remaining original arch of the medieval bridge, dating from about 1450, it includes 13th century stonework. The original bridge pier can be seen under the foundations of the chapel other remnants of the medieval bridge can be seen in the river.

The chapel used to charge a toll for people and animals to cross, and at the time St Mary's Bridge was the only crossing point of the Derwent into Derby.

Above right slightly later, note the boy scout on his bike! The picture on the left is more recent around 1966, St Alkmunds Church is visible, whilst the one on the right was taken 2005

The present stone bridge was completed in 1794 from designs by Thomas Harrison and built by Richard Trubshaw. The bridge replaced one that had stood here from around 1275.

The Chapel's history was distinctly chequered.  It was used as a meeting place for non-conformists during the 17th century, and then converted firstly into dwelling houses and later into workshops.  In 1873 the Chapel reverted to ecclesiastical use and for nearly 40 years was a Sunday School and Mission Church to St. Alkmund's. This came to an end in 1912 when it was again used for industrial purposes.  From then on the building was allowed to decay and by the early 1920s its ruinous state.

This prompted a campaign by the Derbyshire Archaeological Society for its restoration, which started in 1930 and was largely financed by members of the Haslam family in memory of their ancestor, Sir Alfred Seale Haslam, a former mayor of Derby. 

25th July 1588 saw an horrific act committed at the chapel, two Roman Catholic priests were arrested at Padley Manor, near Hathersage and brought to Derby for trial on a charge of High Treason for their religious beliefs,  along with another priest who was already in custody; They were all hung drawn and quartered, their remains were displayed at the entrance to the Chapel, which was then in use as a prison and in which they had spent their last night.

The three Catholic priests became known as the Padley martyrs, and they were, Nicholas Garlick, Robert Ludlam and Richard Sympson

The sloping stone foundations above left were traditionally built at this angle to ward off flood water and thus structural damage, the arch above right on which the chapel is supported also serves the same purpose as the sloping foundations

Old guttering and downpipe above right, originally these would have been out off Oak and lined with lead, the medieval doorway is shown below left, this is very narrow