Part 3

In 1579 Queen Elizabeth granted the remaining possessions of the deanery to Sir Christopher Hatton; but the corporation and parish seem to have presented to the living from 1583 until 1658–9, from which time the patronage has rested with the crown.

SAINT ALKMUND’S CHURCH owes its foundation to the piety of Ethelfleda, daughter of Alfred the Great, soon after she succeeded to the sovereignty of the Mercian territory in 912.

Her great nephew, King Edgar, being of the race of the Northumbrian Prince Alkmund, increased the original endowment, and (under the direction of Archbishop Dunstan) appointed a dean and ten prebends.

In the reign of Edward the Confessor, this College possessed eleven manors, nine of which, containing upwards of 4000 acres, it retained at the Norman survey.

After experiencing many of the fluctuations common to property, sacred or otherwise, during the dark ages and under lawless government, these estates were at length alienated in 1147, at the particular request of the Dean, Richard de Belemis, and with the consent of King Stephen and Pope Eugenius III. to the monastery of Lilleshull, which the dean’s brother, Philip de Belemis, had just commenced, the Prebendaries however taking care to reserve to themselves a life interest in their several stipends.

The college being thus early dissolved and deprived of its valuable estates, fell into a humble vicarage, which remained in the patronage of the monks of Lilleshull until the dissolution, when it lapsed to the crown, in whose hands it continued until 1628, when Rowland Heylin, Esq. {23} of Pentreheylin, Montgomeryshire, purchased the advowson for the “feoffees of St. Antholines,” a society instituted for founding lectureships and augmenting small livings in populous towns.

This society having been publicly denounced, and the orthodoxy of its principles questioned, the ministers of King James, in 1663, directed its suppression, when the living again reverted to the crown.

THE COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF ST. MARY is considered to have been founded by King Edgar, about the year 980; although, from the extensive limits of the parish, it is probable this was only the renovation of an older church destroyed by the ravages of the Danes, who, in revenging the slaughter of their predecessors, not only exercised their warfare against mankind, but even those works of ingenuity and labour which were consecrated to devotion did not escape their desolating hand.

In the time of Edward the Confessor, this college possessed an estate of nearly 1300 acres, “for the maintenance of a dean, seven prebendaries, and a parish priest,” which appears to have diminished in point of cultivation and consequent value at the survey of Domesday, in which, however, the “vill of Chorleton,” held in conjunction with the church of St. Juliana, is unnoticed, having probably been acquired afterwards.

At the suppression of colleges the revenue was £42, when Edward VI. appropriated the greater part of the tithes of this, as he had done those of St. Chad’s parish, to the bailiffs and burgesses, for the foundation of a free school.

This church from very remote times has been a “royal free chapel,” and thereby exempt from the jurisdiction of the bishop.

THE CHURCH OF ST. JULIANA.—Little is known of this, further than its origin was Saxon, and that it held in the Norman survey “half a hide of land in the city.” Soon after this period it became distinguished as a rectory and royal free chapel, and was early united to the church of St. Michael within the Castle, now destroyed. {24}

In 1410, Henry IV. annexed both of these churches to his college at Battlefield; and being thus deprived of its property, St. Julian’s became no better than a curacy.

THE CHURCH OF ST. PETER, called “_The Parish of the City_,” was a small structure of wood, built about Edward the Confessor’s time, by Siward, a Saxon nobleman, and stood on the site where Earl Roger de Montgomery founded a large Benedictine Abbey in 1083, which was re-dedicated to St. Peter, and endowed with a small portion of the vast possessions granted by the Conqueror to the first Earl of Shrewsbury.

This venerable warrior being seized with illness while residing in the castle he had lately built here,—apprehensive, too, that his dissolution might not be far distant,—and “to be sure of paradise,”—determined, with the consent of his countess Adelissa, to retire from the world, and become a monk within the confines of his own monastery.

This resolution he acted upon July 14th, 1094: and dying three days afterwards, obtained honourable interment in the “Lady Chapel” of that pile he had zealously commenced, and,

“By skill of earthly architect,”

nearly completed, to the service and honour of his Maker.

Hugh, his second son, surnamed Probus for his courage, and Goch (or the Red) by the Welshmen from his complexion, succeeded to the earldom, and in filial affection came with his barons to the abbey, to visit his father’s tomb; when he confirmed all former endowments, and gave many additional privileges, to which several of his barons added estates. {26}

Scarcely a century had elapsed from its foundation, before the monastery possessed “seventy-one distinct grants of manors or lands, twenty-four churches, the tithes of thirty-seven parishes or vills,” besides many extensive immunities of various descriptions, and an almost matchless collection of unique relics, in addition to the remains of that popular “martyr,” St. Wenefreda, which the monks procured, after many tedious negociations, from the priests and inhabitants of Gwytherin, in the county of Denbigh, in order to increase the celebrity of their house. After their translation hither, they were enshrined with much pomp near the high altar, and attracted multitudes of pilgrims, whose benefactions greatly contributed to the emolument of the church.

The abbot of this monastery had the honour of a seat in Parliament, and the authority of a bishop within his house. Of the 608 monasteries that existed in this kingdom at the time of the dissolution, it is recorded “the Abbey of Shrewsbury was 34th in opulence.”

According to the valor of 26th Henry VIII. the annual income was £572. 15s. 5d. a revenue considered equal to about £4750 of modern currency.

The surrender of this abbey took place 24th January, 1539–40, when the estates and buildings immediately passed into lay hands.

ST. GILES’S CHURCH was built early in the reign of Henry I. for the service of a hospital of lepers, which stood at the west end of the present edifice.

It is supposed to have become parochial about the middle of the fifteenth century, on being united with the parish of Holy Cross within the monastery, the abbot and convent, no doubt, having previously possessed the patronage and appointment of master.

Subsequent to these, were erected three large conventual churches and eight smaller chapels, all of which shared the fate of the dissolution; and of their remains the ceaseless operations of time and the hand of man have spared but few traces.

Several chantries, altars, &c. were also maintained by private donations in these churches; and whether we consider the munificence, the piety, or the superstition which raised them, we must respect the fervency towards a good cause, and regret that so much zeal was blessed with such little knowledge of the truths which, under our reformed religion, we now so happily enjoy.

From this cursory view of the piety of our forefathers, it may be justly asserted, that in the present day there is no provincial town in the kingdom, considering its extent, where so much has been done to promote the cause of religion, and to give a suitable effect to buildings set apart for Divine Worship, as in Shrewsbury. Those individuals, therefore, whose taste and liberality have mainly contributed to the accomplishment of this praiseworthy object, are deserving of the best thanks of their cotemporaries; and to them posterity will owe a debt of admiring gratitude, in those pleasing feelings of awe which insensibly steal o’er the mind while contemplating the architectural beauties of temples dedicated to HIM, whose greatness as far exceeds the capacity of human thought as doth the immensity of space the smallest atom.

Our survey of these interesting buildings will commence, in chronological arrangement, with

THE OLD CHURCH OF ST. CHAD.

[Picture: Remains of Old St. Chad’s Church]

“In midst of towne fower Parish Churches are, Full nere and close, together note that right: For they doe seeme a true love knot to sight.”

These quaint lines of our native poet Churchyard, with the illustrative vignette, describe the situation which the spacious cruciform church of Old Saint Chad occupied on the southern eminence of the town.

The period of its early foundation has been already alluded to, and the nearly total destruction of the fabric was occasioned by workmen having very injudiciously commenced under-building (contrary to the advice of an experienced architect,) one of the pillars that supported the large central tower, which had shrunk considerably from graves having been carelessly made too close to its foundations. The slight vibration occasioned by the chimes proclaiming their matin tune at four o’clock, on July 9th, 1788, caused the decayed pillar to give way, when the ponderous tower rent asunder, and with the heavy peal of bells it contained, falling on the roofs of the nave and transepts; crushed those parts of the edifice into ruinous desolation, producing a scene of horrid confusion more easily to be imagined than described. The masons had a narrow but fortunate escape, and were only waiting at the adjoining house of the sexton for the keys of the church, to pursue their misdirected scheme of economy.

The event excited a great consternation in the town, and the exemplary vicar, the Rev. Thomas Stedman, addressed an affectionate pastoral letter to his parishioners on the improvement that should be made of so remarkable an interposition of Providence, which occurred at a time when not a single person was within the reach of any injury from it.

Before the church fell, apprehensions were entertained that some fatal consequences might follow, from the appearances of decay in different parts of the building; these fears, however, were comparatively slight, and no immediate danger expected. But after the event took place it was found that the shattered state of the edifice was such, that instead of exciting surprise that it should fall when it did, there were just grounds for amazement that it should have stood so long. Had the decayed state of the building been thoroughly understood before it gave way, the probable opinion would have been, that whenever the disaster happened, it would be at a time when the effects of it might have been dreadful to many;—as when the greatest weight was in the galleries, or when the tower had been shaken by the motion of the bells. Only a month previous, 3000 persons, it is considered, were assembled in the church to witness the interment of an officer under military honours.

The old church was a majestic edifice, erected in the reign of Henry III. in the style when the round Norman arches were giving way to the beautiful lancet style. In 1393 the roofs and tower, with the wooden spire covered with lead, were destroyed by a calamitous fire, occasioned by the negligence of a plumber while repairing the leads. The damage being considerable, Richard II. granted to the inhabitants a remission of their fee-farm rent, and certain other taxes, towards the re-edification.

From the fragments of Saxon sculpture discovered in portions of the walls after the fall of the late fabric, the edifice which preceded it must have been considerably adorned.

The dawning light of the Reformation in Shrewsbury first beamed in this church in 1407, by William Thorpe, a priest and disciple of the doctrines promulgated by Wickliff. This Salopian reformer, in a sermon before the bailiffs on the third Sunday after Easter, boldly, preached against the prevailing and favourite tenets of the Romish church; for his temerity he was thrown into the prison of the town, by command of the local authorities, where he remained about a month, and was afterwards removed to Lambeth for examination before the archbishop, the bailiffs preferring the charge of heresy and schism against him.

The conduct of Thorpe before his spiritual superior was decent and respectful, but at the same time he remained zealous in his vindication of scripture, and firm in support of that which he considered the truth,—thus intrepidly answering the archbishop, “I’ll tell you at one word, I dare not from the dread of God submit unto you, notwithstanding the tenure and sentence that you have rehearsed to me.” He was accordingly sent back to prison: his subsequent fate is nowhere recorded, but it is conjectured on good grounds he was liberated after the death of the archbishop, so that what Fox has asserted of his having died a martyr to hard usage is probably incorrect.

The exercise of the Protestant religion in this town also began in this church in 1573, under the direction of the Bishop of Lichfield and the Lord President of the Marches, as special commissioners from Queen Elizabeth.

The portion of the ruins now remaining stood south of the choir, and formed a chantry chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary; after the Reformation it was called the Bishop’s Chancel, from the circumstance of its being used at the visitations of the bishop and archdeacon. The two wide semi-circular arches (now walled up) separated it from the transepts and choir. On the outside north wall are three stone stalls having pointed arches, the concaves of which are groined; these originally adjoined the high altar, and formed the seats of the priest, deacon, and sub-deacon, during a part of the high mass. The east and south sides display two mullioned windows; one adjoining the newel staircase in the south-west pier, which once led to the belfry is of an earlier design than the rest, and was probably introduced when the building was repaired in 1496; the others have elegant trefoiled tracery, and were erected in 1571, when the chapel was nearly rebuilt by Humphrey Onslow, Esq. to the dilapidations of which he appears to have been liable by the lease granted to him of the deanery when the dissolution of the college was anticipated in 1542–3.

The interior has an oak panelled ceiling, and contains a few monumental tablets and hatchments, most of the ancient memorials having been removed on the fall of the church to other places.

This chapel is now used as a daily parochial school, and for reading the burial service connected with the spacious cemetery in which it stands.

Among the monuments is one to the memory of that excellent man, the Rev. JOB ORTON, V.D.M. who “being dead, yet speaketh,” in the forcible discourses and truly admirable writings he has left behind. He was the friend and biographer of Doddridge, and died 16th July, 1783, aged 66. His remains were interred at his request in the grave of the Rev. J. Bryan, M.A. an ejected minister from this church.

A humble gravestone near the railway leading towards Belmont records the death of Capt. JOHN BENBOW, who was shot at the Castle, Oct. 16th, 1651, for his attachment to the cause of King Charles the Second.

Several members of ancient families and distinguished individuals connected with the town and county, received interment in this church. Among these may be mentioned those of CORBET, MYTTON, BURTON, OWEN, LYSTER, and IRELAND.

ROWLAND LEE, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, and Lord President of the Marches, was buried here. He died Jan. 27th, 1542–3, at the College, the residence of his brother, Sir George Lee, who was the last dean of the church.

THE NEW CHURCH OF SAINT CHAD

is erected on a beautiful site near the Quarry, and, considering the disadvantages of form which preclude the possibility of much architectural effect, it may be looked upon as an ornamental building.

[Picture: New St. Chad’s Church]

The church is formed by the intersection of two circles, with a tower and portico attached; the smaller of the circles forming the grand staircase, and the larger one the body, chancel, and side staircases leading to the gallery. On each side of the tower is a square wing 24 feet by 19, appropriated for a vestry and robing room.

The exterior is divided into two stories, the lower one being rusticated, and the upper springing from a moulding displaying a continued Ionic entablature, supported by coupled pilasters of the same order; above the cornice is a well-proportioned balustrade.

The windows are circular headed in the upper, and square in the lower story, and, with the exception of that in the chancel, are uniform; the latter is Venetian, the divisions being formed with Corinthian pillars.

The portico consists of four Roman Doric columns and entablature in full order, and is considered a very fine specimen.

The steeple is divided into three parts, and, like the body of the church, is rusticated at the base, which is square; on this rests the second division, or bell chamber, octangular in shape, and decorated with Ionic pilasters, cornice, &c.; above rises eight elegant Corinthian columns, surrounded with an iron railing, and surmounted by a dome and cross.

THE INTERIOR carries with it an air of importance, grandeur, and extent, derived mainly from that form which in the exterior has so much shackled the efforts of the architect: dazzled for a moment by the first impressions, the detail is lost in the general effect; but from the whole the eye is directed to those parts which constitute that whole, and here defects may be discovered that will not stand the test of architectural scrutiny.

The seats are well constructed, every individual being able to see the officiating minister. The gallery is not thrown too forward, but is in every respect in unison with the size of the church; it is carried round the whole area with the exception of the chancel, and is supported by a double row of ill-proportioned Ionic columns, painted porphyry. A continued balustrade finishes the front of the gallery, from which rises slender fluted columns (surmounted with entablature) for the support of the roof, the frieze being decorated with cherubs.

The ceiling is enriched with a glory and cherubs in the centre, surrounded by a wreath and other devices.

The chancel, contrary to general custom, is towards the north, and is separated from the body of the church by a handsome arch springing from an entablature supported by coupled composite columns, elegantly proportioned, the capitals of which are richly gilt.

The altar-piece is plain oak wainscot, with panels inscribed according to the canon of the church, above which is a Venetian window, containing a painting in enamelled glass of the Resurrection of our Saviour, by the elder Eginton. This window is shortly to be replaced by another, our townsman, Mr. David Evans, having been directed by the munificence of the Rev. Richard Scott, B.D. to exert his talents in the execution of a splendid and faithful copy of the celebrated chef d’ouvre of Rubens, painted for the cathedral church of Antwerp, THE DESCENT FROM THE CROSS, with the VISITATION, and PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE.

The pulpit and reading desk stand in the centre of the area in front of the chancel.

The organ is placed above the south or great entrance of the church; it is in a mahogany case, with a small painting of David playing upon the harp. The instrument was built by Gray, of London, and cost 400 guineas.

Between the piers of the gallery-windows are hatchments; and the building, although of modern date, contains several tasteful memorials which indicate,

“All that virtue, all that wealth e’er gave, Await alike the inevitable hour— The paths of glory lead but to the grave.”

Among these may be mentioned a large panelled tablet, having a bust of the deceased by Chantrey, within a recess, commemorative of Mr. John Simpson, “who superintended the building of this church; the bridges of Bewdley, Dunkeld, Craig, Ellachie, and Bonar; the aqueducts of Pontcysyllte and Chirk; and the locks and basins of the Caledonian Canal.” He died 1815.

On each side of the entrance leading to the chancel are tablets, highly enriched with sculpture, recording the decease of the Rev. George Scott, of Betton Strange, in this parish, and of Ann Lucretia, his wife; also of Richard Scott, of Peniarth Ucha, Merionethshire, and Underdale, in the county of Salop.

On the east wall of the chancel is a small tablet in memory of

The Rev. THOMAS STEDMAN, M.A. “Forty-two years Vicar of this Parish, during which period his mind, his writings, and his discourse were with deep humility devoted to the glory of God, the happiness of mankind, and the temporal and spiritual interests of his flock.” He died Dec. 5th, 1825, in the 80th year of his age.

On a large Grecian tablet is a Latin inscription to the memory of the late Rev. Francis Leighton, M.A. who died Sept. 7th, 1813, aged 66 years. {36}

The body of the church is 100 feet in diameter, and the total length, including the entrance and vestibule, 160 feet. The building is of fine Grinshill stone, and was designed by Mr. George Steuart, of London. It was commenced March 2d, 1790, and consecrated August 20th, 1792, and will comfortably accommodate a congregation of about 2300 persons. The total cost, including site, organ, bells, &c. was £19,352, of which £15,800 was raised under act of parliament.

The steeple is 150 feet in height, and contains a full and melodious peal of twelve bells; the weight of the tenor being 2 tons 1 cwt. and measures 16 ft. 6 in. in circumference at the mouth. The balcony beneath the dome commands a fine prospect of the town and immediate vicinity.

In the vestry is a carved statue of St. Chad in his episcopal habit, holding a bible in his right hand and a crosier in his left. It originally stood upon the organ in the old church.

St. Chad’s is considered the principal church of the town; it is used on all public occasions, and is the place where the archdeacon holds his visitations and probat court.

A lecture is delivered here every Thursday evening, according to a bequest of the late James Phillips, Esq. of London, who by his will (dated 1661) devises, after the death of his wife, the rents of his property in Three Crown Court, Southward, unto the mayor and aldermen of this town for that purpose, and also for a lecture in the parish churches of Oswestry, Ellesmere, and Whitchurch. This property now produces a good revenue.

On the east side of the church is a spacious cemetery.

The living is a vicarage in the gift of the crown, being endowed in 1674, by the benefaction of Nathaniel Tench, Esq. with “the tithes of corn and hay of the grange of Crow Meole,” in commemoration of which the testator directed that a sermon should be annually preached on the 6th of June.

The parish comprises nearly one-half of the town, and extends several miles into the country, having two chapels of ease,—St. George’s (Frankwell), and Bicton, three miles distant.

ST. MARY’S CHURCH

stands on a commanding situation, nearly one hundred feet above the level of the river, on the north-eastern side of the town, and is one of the most interesting ecclesiastical edifices in the county, displaying in its construction almost every variety of ancient architecture, and affording to the antiquary and man of taste a rich and unique field for observation.

[Picture: St. Mary’s Church, N.W.]

It is a cruciform building, consisting of a nave, side aisles, transepts, spacious chancel, two chantry chapels, and a lofty spire steeple.