Wolverhampton: St George
Overview
Grid reference: SO 916 983
There are two features of the church which immediately lend support to the theory that it was designed by a follower of Nash. The first is the slender quality of the spire which shares proportions used by Nash at All Souls, Langham Place. The other feature comparable with the latter church is that the nave roof while gabled at the east end over the chancel, is hipped at the west behind the tower. St. George's church is not, like Langham Place, a prominent building in a major street but, on the contrary, it stands apart within its park-like churchyard with an air of aloofness which is in its way just as effective.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Rectangular galleried nave of six bays; west tower and spire flanked by further bays with staircases to the galleries and small rooms within; short chancel with single-storey vestries to the north and south.
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was built to the designs of James Morgan, a pupil of John Nash and later partner with him. The foundation stone was laid on 18th August 1828 and the church was ready for Consecration on 26th August 1830. Apart from the mediaeval parish church of St. Peter, the only other church in Wolverhampton hitherto had been St. John's, built in 1760. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, church accommodation was again becoming seriously inadequate. The money for the site was raised by public subscriptions, and a grant was applied for from the Commissioners for Building Additional Churches, who contributed £7,000 to the total cost of £10,268. The new parish was formed in September 1834. The church stood substantially as it had been built until 1897 when an attempt was made to 'correct' the plan by taking two bays of the nave into the chancel and thus providing for choirstalls with an organ chamber behind those on the north and a Lady Chapel behind those on the south. This work was done to the designs of F.T. Beck, who also seems to have designed the reredos which was added in 1907.
Exterior Description
There are two features of the church which immediately lend support to the theory that it was designed by a follower of Nash. The first is the slender quality of the spire which shares proportions used by Nash at All Souls, Langham Place. The other feature comparable with the latter church is that the nave roof while gabled at the east end over the chancel, is hipped at the west behind the tower. St. George's church is not, like Langham Place, a prominent building in a major street but, on the contrary, it stands apart within its park-like churchyard with an air of aloofness which is in its way just as effective.
The formal approach to the church is from the west, where three large doors give entry to the building. The central doorway, which opens into a tall ante-room under the tower, has a round arched head and is framed by coupled attached Tuscan columns and a heavy entablature. The lower side doors, which open into rooms giving access to the gallery stairs, are square headed with entablatures carried on console brackets. Above a cornice is a deep attic storey with blind panels in the side bays and a rectangular window in the central bay, which projects slightly. The tower is of two stages above this level, the lower with round windows in each face and the upper with rectangular belfry openings surmounted by clock faces which are rather intrusive. The spire rises within a low balustrade.
The west bay of the north and south walls, which contains the staircases, continues the pattern of the west front, being divided into two storeys by the continuing cornice and having a big rectangular window in the lower part and a blind panel in the attic. For the remaining six bays, the design abruptly changes to accommodate two rows of windows, above and below the galleries. The transition is not so much awkwardly managed as not managed at all, as though a straight vertical line had been drawn upon the elevation beyond which the architect began afresh.
At the east end, the chancel projects rather less than the depth on one bay of the nave, and the low flanking vestries seem to be original following the design of the lower nave windows and with small doorways in the east walls. The east chancel wall has a Venetian window surmounted by a small semi-circular aperture which lights the roof-space. The gable is pedimented.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
c.1880
The east window represents The Crucifixion, with the Agnus Dei and the Pelican in flanking roundels.
Stained Glass
1920
North aisle I: The Virgin and Child in the carpenter's shop, by A.E. Lemmon of the Bromsgrove Guild.
Stained Glass
1920
North aisle II: The Ascension, by Lemmon; The eleven apostles and the Blessed Virgin Hary stand in a semi-circle.
Stained Glass
1927
North aigle III: The Apostle's Creed. By A.E. Lemmon.
Stained Glass
South chapel I: The Light of the World. By Mayer of Munich.
Stained Glass
South chapel II: The Good Shepherd. By Mayer of Munich.
Stained Glass
South aisle I: The Nativity
Stained Glass
South aisle II: The Resurrection: by Mayer of Munich
Stained Glass
South aisle III: The Annunciation, by Morris and Sons
Stained Glass
South aisle IV: Christ with children: by Mayer of Munich
Interior
Interior Description
The three west bays retain galleries on three sides, carried on stout iron Tuscan piers. An odd feature is the little group of guttae which appears above each capital but without the triglyphs which might be expected. The gallery fronts above the frieze and cornice have two simple rectangular panels to each bay. The roof is carried of more attenuated iron piers of less archaeologically accurate for than the Tuscan columns over which they stand they are too slim and have capitals which lie somewhere between lotus leaves and palm fronds.
The purpose of the work in 1897 was to convert an uncompromisingly rectangular proaching house into a church in which the Catholic style of worship might be appropriately conducted. The short chancel provided in the original plan was considered big enough only for the sanctuary, and was therefore enclosed by curving altar rails and given a series of tiled steps to elevate the altar. The two eastern bays of the nave became the chancel, which entailed the removal of the north and south galleries, and their replacement with the organ on the north side and a Lady Chapel on the south, both screened from the choirstalls by oak arcades. The iron columns which remained after the galleries had gone were clad in oak in order to incorporate them within the style of the overall design. The lower parts are panelled and the upper parts have unmistakably 1897 tapered shafts with over-small Ionic capitals at the top. The transformationwas completed by adding archos between these shafts as if to give the impression that the chancel is narrower than the nave.
The parclose screens round the Lady Chapel and organ are continued across the west end of the areas which they enclose, and thus flank the rood screen which is the most imediately striking feature of the building. The central part is a wide semi-circular arch on panelled piers, with a serpentine pediment which is a recurring motif throughout the 1897 and 1907 work. Upon this stands the rood, carved in oak. The central arch is flanked by two lesser arches in two tiers (like a Roman aqueduct).
Fixtures and fittings
Font (object)
The font, of brown alabaster, is also from the same hand, with paired panels on he stem and a text carved round the octagonal bowl.
Organ (object)
The organ is by Browne of Deal, in the care of Willis. There are three manuals and thirty speaking stops.
Altar
1897-1907
Part of a suite characterised by round arches with wavy cornices above, pronounced verticals either in the form of turned balustors or slender panels within moulded surrounds. All would seem to have been designed by F.T. Beck
Reredos
1897-1907
Part of a suite characterised by round arches with wavy cornices above, pronounced verticals either in the form of turned balustors or slender panels within moulded surrounds. All would seem to have been designed by F.T. Beck
Pulpit
1897-1907
Part of a suite characterised by round arches with wavy cornices above, pronounced verticals either in the form of turned balustors or slender panels within moulded surrounds. All would seem to have been designed by F.T. Beck
Lectern
1897-1907
Part of a suite characterised by round arches with wavy cornices above, pronounced verticals either in the form of turned balustors or slender panels within moulded surrounds. All would seem to have been designed by F.T. Beck
Screen
1897-1907
Part of a suite characterised by round arches with wavy cornices above, pronounced verticals either in the form of turned balustors or slender panels within moulded surrounds. All would seem to have been designed by F.T. Beck
Stall
1897-1907
Part of a suite characterised by round arches with wavy cornices above, pronouncedverticals either in the form of turned balustors or slender panels within moulded surrounds. All would seem to have been designed by F.T. Beck
Sedilia
1897-1907
Three sedilia. Part of a suite characterised by round arches with wavy cornices above, pronouncedverticals either in the form of turned balustors or slender panels within moulded surrounds. All would seem to have been designed by F.T. Beck
Altar
An altar in the south chapel is of oak, in the Gothic style and quite unlike the other furnishings of the late nineteenth-century. The five front panels have foliated carvings.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SO 916 983
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 | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
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
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