Reddal Hill: St Luke
Overview
Grid reference: SO 947 861
Designed and built by William Bourne in 1847, with apsidal chancel added 1878 by John Cotton. W D Caroe carried out repairs and rendered the church 1923-28. St Luke’s sits within a large churchyard with many mature trees. It is cleared of head stones to the east and the churchyard is now in the control of the Local Authority.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
4-bay nave with west porch. North and south transepts (organ and WC in north, kitchen and meeting room in south). Apsidal east end with Lady Chapel to south. Boiler house beneath east end.
Dimensions:
[Approximate] Nave 21m (69ft) long [7m (23ft) of this forms west narthex] x 12.5m (41ft) wide, chancel 8m (26ft) long.
Description of Archaeology and History
Cradley Heath and its environs had developed as a centre for chain-making, and also nail and anchor-making, in the 19th Century. A railway station on the Stourbridge Railway opened in 1867. Cradley’s female chain-makers famously went on strike in 1910 winning them the minimum wage, double what they had previously earned. A local firm made the anchors and chains for the Titanic c.1912. Many of Cradley Heath’s buildings from its peak industrial days have been lost but a testing house and chain works survive.
An ICBS grant of £400 was awarded towards the cost of a new church in 1843. William Bourne (also architect of St John, Kate's Hill) designed St Luke's and built it in red sandstone and brick. The nave was consecrated in 1847. An apsidal chancel was added in 1878 by John Cotton. A plaque records the installation in 1884 of oak screens across the transepts which had been filled with pews and also had galleries with further seating. In 1912 an arcaded portal around the west front was removed. Another plaque records the addition of a chapel in the south-east corner in 1914. Due to the external erosion of the sandstone, approval for repairs was sought 1923-8 and the rendering of the church was carried out by W D Caroe. It seems likely the chancel was panelled at the same time and the seating altered to form a central aisle forming two columns of pews. A plaque commemorating the restoration hangs inside on the north wall at the west end. The south transept was adapted in 1966 resulting in the insertion of a vestry and now a kitchen and small meeting room.
The Local Authority took on responsibility for the churchyard, now closed, c 1995.
Exterior Description
It is quite a plain building with lancet windows in the Early English style, protected by meshing which has rusted and stained the render. A tarmac path encircles the building.
Unusually the gabled west end projects higher than the shallow-pitched nave roof behind it. These are 20th Century wood doors within exposed red sandstone surrounds. Above them are three lancet windows with a clock face in the gable surmounted by a stone cross finial. A gabled timber louvred structure, containing a single bell, extends north-south behind the west gable. Two-tier gabled corner buttresses extend the full height of the elevation.
A string course continues around the elevations though at a lower level than that at the west end. The buttresses also repeat and are positioned between each lancet window. Gabled transepts, with angle-buttresses, project to north and south at the east end. That to the south has a south porch. The transepts have three lancet windows in the north and south elevations, both with a trefoil above, and three lancets in their west elevations - the two outer lancets of these are blocked with stone. The windows all have exposed stone surrounds and hoodmoulds.
Flat roofed vestries extend east of the transepts, with that to the south blocked and no longer in use. The apsidal east end with lean-to roof is finished in a smooth render and painted yellow. A brick extension to the south of the vestry contains the Lady Chapel.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th century 4-bay
Porch
19th century west
Transept
19th century north with organ and WC and south with kitchen and meeting room
Apse
19th century east end
Lady Chapel
20th century south
Boiler Room
19th century beneath east end
Building Materials
Pebbledash
20th century church re-rendered
Sandstone
19th century dressings and cappings
Slate
19th century roof tiles
Interior
Interior Description
The building is accessed through the central door at the west end which enters a lobby. It has an inserted ceiling and the floor is tiled in hexagonal red floor tiles. Stairs either side lead up to the west gallery which is seated with fixed tiered benches. From the nave, pointed arch fretwork on the front of the balcony can be appreciated. The area beneath the gallery at the west end is used for additional activities. It has a pitched roof and is a cleared space with suspended strip-lights and linoleum floor. It has been separated from the nave by a solid partition with glazed doors in the centre and to either end. Four cast-iron columns, supporting the gallery above, are set back from the partition within the room. Various memorials hang on the walls.
A queen-post roof structure, with drop pendants beneath the queen-struts, spans the length of the nave resting on gold-painted moulded bell corbels. Above them the ceiling is panelled. With the exception of three lights, the north, south and west nave windows are all of plain diamond-leaded lights. Spotlights are fixed to the trusses and there are wall-mounted infra-red heaters beneath the corbels.
The walls are plastered and architectural features such as arches, corbels and colonnettes are painted in strong colours principally blue and gold. The nave is seated with fixed pine pews on raised wood platforms with upholstered seat pads. The aisles are floored in a terrazzo surface with carpet at the west end.
Both transepts are separated from the nave by high, wide pointed arches. The north transept is screened by the organ with wood panelling below and organ pipes in three sets above. Behind it WCs have been inserted into the space, with the remaining area used for storage. There is another external entrance in the north-east corner. The south transept is screened by panelling with clear panes above, mimicking the form of the opposing organ pipes. The space behind is another insertion within the fabric of the church with roof-lights. It contains a good kitchen, vestry and meeting space with sofas.
The eastern end of the nave is raised by a step. Projecting from the central chancel arch are wrought iron chancel rails, raised upon another step. To either side are arches into a vestry in the north-east corner and a Lady Chapel in the south-east corner. The chapel is entered beneath a square headed arch decorated with fleurons with a deep embellished entablature above, painted in blue, red and gold. The chapel’s insertion blocked a lancet window above. This is a wood panelled (stained hardwood?) space with black and white marble floor tiles raised by two steps. It has great character. The panelling extends out into the south-east corner of the nave where modern upholstered wood-framed chairs are arranged. A plaque records the erection of the chapel in memory of Joseph Holt in 1914. A door to the former clergy vestry to the south is kept locked and its external entrance to the south is also blocked.
The high, pointed chancel arch is accentuated by two sets of shafts extending down to the floor. Pine choir stalls face each other to either side. Blue carpet runs up the centre between them, with terrazzo paving beneath exposed to either side. The apsidal east end opens out behind a sanctuary arch formed by two ribs. A sexfoil window is set in the wall above. The foremost rib runs almost to the floor, the rear rests on two square corbels either side, carved with heads and floriate decoration, and painted gold. The sanctuary is raised by two steps, and the altar by a further step. The space is carpeted and wood-panelled with several engravings in memory of individuals, one dated 1929. An open doorway to the south leads back into the Lady Chapel.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th century oak table with three open tracery panels
Reredos
19th century erected by public subscription in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee (as recorded by a plaque) - painted stone with figures in outer of three gabled niches
Pulpit
19th century octagonal reconstituted stone, arch within each fascia containing two lancet openings with short marble colonnettes, the stone is painted white, integrated steps
Lectern
19th century brass eagle lectern
Font (component)
19th century Octagonal reconstituted stone font on quatrefoil base with four short marble shafts. Recessed quatrefoils in alternate fascias of the bowl contain simple relief sculpture. The stone is painted white. Pine cover.
Rail
19th century wrought-iron barley-twist uprights with scrolls and wood handrail
Stained Glass (window)
19th / 20th century • North nave – in memory of Thomas Standish Surgeon, d. 1897. Signed by Hawkes, a local artist; • South nave – St George, erected to commemorate the Coronation of King Edward VII, 1902; • Attributed to James Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) by Dr Neil Moat; • South-west nave – in memory of Florence Holt, d.1892 and Oliver Holt, d.1901, erected by their parents in 1901; • East windows - in memory of vicar d.1883 depict St Paul Apostle, Good Shepherd and St Luke Evangelist. Dr Neil Moat attributes them all to the nationally recognised firm Hardman & Co. (Birmingham); • Lady Chapel – 2 small lights in east wall, damaged, St Luke and St John; • Teacher Ellen window in south chapel, 1933 – removed.
Plaque (component)
19th / 20th century Various plaques and wall monuments in and around church, including: • Bishop’s Charity Board - a trust established by someone named Bishop who used the interest on a sum of money to buy gifts for the poor – wood board, faded, in the narthex; • Plaque recording the centenary of the church and installation of an electric clock in 1949, in narthex; • 19th-century marble wall memorial to the Goulds in chancel signed by J D Burgess
Organ (component)
20th century IIIP by John Compton, 1949 replacing an earlier organ of 1866 by Halmshaw.
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
registers from 1920s onwards
Churchyard
Grid reference: SO 947 861
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Sources
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