G
Weight: 1456 lbs Bell 1 of 2
Dove Bell ID: 6073 Tower ID: 17690 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Shrewsbury: St Alkmund
Overview
Grid reference: SJ 492 124
The mediaeval church was a fine one (there is a crude drawing of it in the church), cruciform with west tower and spire and chapels to the north and south of the chancel; the nave retained Norman work and the chancel Early English, while later chapels were for the most part Perpendicular. The story of the destruction of this church in a panic following the fall of Old St. Chad's in 1788 is given in full by Cranage, but it is sufficient here to say that in the autumn of 1793 all the old church was taken down with the exception of the tower and spire and on 3th May 1794 the parish accepted the plans of Messrs. Carline and Tilley for rebuild at an estimated cost of £2,490.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
West tower and spire, rectangular aisleless nave of six bays of which the westernmost embrace the tower; shallow chancel with porches north and south, that on the south now a vestry.
Footprint of Church buildings: 522 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was founded, probably by Etheldreda (daughter of King Alfred), before the year 915, and was thus one of three churches within the walls of the oldest town on this site (together with St. Mary and St. Julian). In Domesday it is recorded as possessing a number of manors and it later became collegiate, with a Dean and twelve Prebendaries, evidently a foundation of considerable wealth. Later, however, its revenues became diverted by an unscrupulous cleric towards the financing of Lilleshall Abbey.
The mediaeval church was a fine one (there is a crude drawing of it in the church), cruciform with west tower and spire and chapels to the north and south of the chancel; the nave retained Norman work and the chancel Early English, while later chapels were for the most part Perpendicular. The story of the destruction of this church in a panic following the fall of Old St. Chad's in 1788 is given in full by Cranage, but it is sufficient here to say that in the autumn of 1793 all the old church was taken down with the exception of the tower and spire and on 3th May 1794 the parish accepted the plans of Messrs. Carline and Tilley for rebuild at an estimated cost of £2,490. The cost eventually proved to be consierably more, and was met by a burdisome church rate levied over many years. In 1803 the top 13ft. of the spire were rebuilt, and again in 1821; Cranage dates the tower and spire to the last quarter of the fifteenth century.
Exterior Description
Although much rebuilt and restored, the spire remins one of the fine features of a town not lacking in architectural excellence.
The tower is of three stages, dimishing in height as they rise, with paired angle buttresses at each corner which are set back frequently with many shallow off-sets. Because the tower is embraced by the body of the church only the west face of the lower stage is visible, and this has a vest doorway with a two-centred arch and tracery in the spandrels within a rectangular moulded surround. On each side are shallow ogee-headed niches which appear to date from the time of the rebuilding of the church. Over the door is a large four-light Perpendicular window with ogee- headed main lights and pancl tracery, within a two-centred head. The middle stage is blind to east and west but has small lancets in the north and south faces. The top stage, which houses the bells, has three-light louvred bell-openings in each wall with hood-moulds above. The parapet, which is pierced with panel tracery, and the tall crockotted pinnacles were added in about 1895, as near the original designs as possible.
The spire is tall and very slender typical of the west Midlands, and entirely without mouldings up the edges or any decoration save for three tiers of lucarnes. The lowest of these, just above the parapet, are of two lights under crocketted gablets flanked by pinnacles, the cusps of the lights ending in rolls rather than sharp points. The two upper series are simply ogee-headed single lights, and are connected round the spire by string courses. All the lucarnes are in the principal faces of the spire.
The rest of the church is simply a rectangle in plan with long sides of six bays and a small chancel at the east. The bays are divided by shallow panelled buttresses (the panels with simple trefoiled heads) and each is pierced by a large window with a two-centred head. These windows were originally filled with cast iron tracery made at Colbrookdale, but this now only survives in the westernmost window of the south wall and the eastern and western windows of the north wall. The other windows have stone tracery which was inserted in 1895-1900. It is of two designs alternating in each wall, and the low transmns which appear in each window suggest that there may once have been galleries within the church. The walls are surmounted by a simple panelled parapet which entirely conceals the low-pitched roof. In the second bay from the east in the south wall is a small late Victorian porch with a pair of Gothic lights; it is no longer in use, and breaks the symmetry of this side of the church.
The chancel continues the same basic design as the nave, with shallow panelled buttresses and the same panelled parapet; indeed the east window is of dimensions very similar to those in the north and south walls. One of the most attractive features of the church is the pair of porches each side of the chancel in the angles with the nave; although that on the south side was walled in when the south porch was added in order to form a vestry, that on the north side still retains its original character. It has a flat roof carried at the outer corner by a pillar of four attached shafts, typical of eighteenth century Gothic. The two-centred arched doorway within has a hollow moulded surround like all the windows in the church.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1795
The east window is one of the most notable treasures of the church; it represents Faith, after a painting by Guido Reni of The Assumption of the Virgin (at Munich) ; it is signed Frs Eginton, with the date 1795.
Stained Glass
c.1840
North wall I: St. Peter, St. James and St. John, with Moses, David and Elijah below.
Stained Glass
1903
North wall II: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Stained Glass
1920
South wall I: Christ appears to a dying soldier.
Stained Glass
1543-55
West window: two small armorial panels from the old church, one the arms of England and France quartered and the other the arms of Richard Sampson, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry
Building Materials
Grinshill Stone
12th Century
Grinshill Stone
Slate
12th Century
Slate
Interior
Interior Description
The church is entered through the west doorway which gives access to the lofty well-lit tower space. At the south-east corner a small shoulderrd arch gives access to the tower staircase but otherwise the north and south walls are completely blind. The arch to the nave is very tall, with rather decadent mouldings of unemphatic section; the moulded capitals to the responds return along the east wall to form a stringcourse and the top of the arch, being higher than the flat panelled ceiling of the nave, rises into a contrived recess.
The nave has few features of architectural interest. The walls are plastered and scored with lines to resemble ashlar masonry, and several wall monuments survive from the previous church. The lower parts of the walls are panelled up to dado level with panelling detail constructed from the old pews.
The chancel arch, of rather wider proportions than the other arches of the church, appears in its present form to be later in date than the fabric, and may represent a late nineteenth-century re-working. The half-octagonal corbels on which the inner order is carried look particularly out of character. The chancel itself is panelled in the lower part with oak panelling, big fielded panels reaching from floor to the high dado cornice. The chancel is paved with square flags set diagonally, with the further enrichment of alternate black and white marble paving stones in the sanctuary. The panelled roof here is also of a later date, but the sanctuary retains its eighteenth-century rails and table. The pair of Gothic sanctuary chairs were given by the Rector in 1820.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
The altar stands within riddel posts; somewhat surprisingly, however, the eighteenth-century table remains, a stout oak table with legs in the form of fourfold columns and a white marble top lengthened to suit the "English" dimensions imposed upon it.
Reredos
The reredos is of the "English" style with riddel posts.
Pulpit
The pulpit is an open octagon of oak with traceried panels.
Lectern
c.1890
The lectern is a wooden pedestal.
Font (object)
1898
The font is of white marble with small red marble coloneltes, strking design with the Dove, the Eye of God.
Organ (object)
c.1870
The organ, by an unknown builder, has sloping stop-jambs typical of Forster and Androws, and appears to date from c.1870; it has two manuals, twenty-two speaking stops, and was rebuilt and enlarged by Kirkland.
Bells
A♯
Nominal: 1826 Hz Weight: 224 lbs Diameter: 21" Bell 2 of 2
Founded by Abraham II Rudhall 1720
Dove Bell ID: 63016 Tower ID: 17690 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: SJ 492 124
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
The churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
The churchyard is closed for burial by order in council.
The date of the burial closure order is 01/01/1860
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 | Yes |
| 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
Showing 8 entries of 8 View All
Submit a change
If you notice something incorrect or missing, please explain it in the form below and submit it to our team for review.