Part 5

Situated on St. John’s Hill, is a plain brick edifice, formerly a private house, and has been lately purchased by the Committee of the above institution, and fitted up for the purpose of lodging the books belonging to the Society. The number of subscribers is about 140, who pay annually £1. 11s. 6d. and 2 guineas entrance; but their shares are transferable. The managers of the society are a president, a treasurer, a committee of twelve, who sit gratuitously, and a librarian at a stipend. The following are some of the principal laws and regulations:—The library is open for the free use of subscribers five hours every day at the rooms, with the right of having several books at one time at their own houses, a certain number of days. Forfeits are established and rigorously enforced for detaining and damaging of books.—The method of admitting books is, for any member to write down the title, size and price at the library, with his signature, one clear week before the monthly meeting, at which period it will be ordered, if the majority of the subscribers present are agreeable.

The society which has been instituted about forty years, now possesses 5000 volumes—a valuable mass of general literature in every department. Neither divinity nor law has been permitted to _load_ the shelves; and in the matter of that great stumbling block of mixed associations, _politics_, a due regard to that invaluable maxim “audi alteram partem,” has never been forgot or violated, and diversity of opinion has only promoted the successful progress of the establishment.

Subscription Coffee Room

Is attached to the county-hall, and is supplied with several London and provincial papers.

Chronicle News-Room.

This is situate on St. John’s Hill, and forms part of the Library House. It is furnished not only with a very extensive variety of London and Provincial Newspapers and the Gazette, but also with Reviews, Magazine, Army and Navy Lists, and the best Pamphlets of the day, &c.

To each of these institutions strangers are admitted on being introduced by a subscriber.

Beside these institutions there are several private READING SOCIETIES in the town.

New Church of St. Chad.

This church, situated near that beautiful promenade the Quarry, is erected in a style highly ornamental, from a design by Mr. Stuart, an architect from London. The admirable execution of the masonry, and the beauty of the stone, have an extremely elegant appearance. The first stone was laid on the 2d of March, 1790, and the building was consecrated on the 28th of August, 1792. The body of the church is a rotunda, 100 feet in diameter, having a fine steeple at its south-east end. In the steeple is an octagonal belfry, containing a melodious peal of twelve bells, surmounted by a small dome, supported on eight Corinthian pillars.

[Picture: St. Chad’s church]

The principal entrance is through the large door under the steeple, to the lower division of which is attached a portico, elevated on a flight of steps, and supported by four Doric columns. The interior has a rich and noble appearance, especially since its recent painting, which in some measure has corrected that light and theatrical effect hitherto complained of. The gallery which encircles the whole of the church, except the chancel, is supported by a double circular range of short pillars with Ionic capitals. From its front rises a series of columns which support the roof, intended to imitate the Corinthian order. The chancel is separated from the church by two insulated Corinthian-columns, with highly enriched architraves. Beside the usual appendages of a chancel, the Creed, Commandments, and Lord’s Prayer—a fine painted window, executed by Eginton, and removed here from Lichfield cathedral, was erected in the large window, in 1807, at the expense of the parishioners.—The subject is the resurrection of our Saviour, from a design by West. In the gallery is a good organ.

Notwithstanding the objections which have been made to the architectural plan of this church, it is possessed of one advantage, which, it is presumed tends to obviate all of them, namely convenient accommodation for a congregation of 2000 persons, which should be the object principally kept in view in all similar erections. It was built at an expense of about £18,000: £15,000 of which remains as a debt, on the church at this period.

The patron of the living is the king—the present vicar, the Rev. Thomas Stedman, M.A. Organist Mr. John Wynne.

From the dome of this church there is a most beautiful panoramic view of the town, and a very extensive range of the fertile plain of Shropshire.

The Abbey of St. Peter & St. Paul.

The present church once formed part of a magnificent and richly endowed abbey, founded by Roger de Montgomery, soon after the Norman conquest. Here that powerful baron, in the decline of his life, retired, relinquishing his warlike habits for the severities of the Benedictine monks, and adopting the custom mentioned by Milton, of those

who, to be sure of Paradise, Dying, put on the weeds of Dominic, Or in Franciscan think to pass disguised.

Originally it was of very considerable extent, comprehending within its enclosure nearly nine acres, now used as gardens and pleasure grounds to the adjoining mansions, together with a spacious fish-pond.

This once celebrated structure, in common with others similar in their institution, suffered considerable dilapidations in the reign of Henry the eighth. In consequence of this and the mouldering waste of time, a small portion only remains, and what does exist has been cruelly mutilated in its repairs; its nave, western tower and northern porch, being the only fragments left to tell the history of its pristine magnificence and grandeur. The tower is a finely proportioned structure; its portal has a round Norman arch deeply recessed, and another of a pointed form, inserted within it at some subsequent period. Above this is one of the noblest windows in the kingdom, its height being 46 feet by 22 feet wide. It is divided by its mulliens into seven “days”, or compartments below, of which there are two tiers, and its arched head is sharp pointed, and filled with a profusion of the most delicate tracery. On each side is a mouldering nich, in one of which was a statue of St. Peter, and in the other St. Paul. Between the double bell windows in front, is the figure of an armed knight within a nich, supposed from its surrounding decorations and ornaments, to represent that celebrated warrior, Edward III. The tower contains eight bells. Within the arch which once led to the south wing of the transept, is an ancient figure clad in mail, supposed by some, to be intended to perpetuate the memory of earl Roger, the munificent patron of the abbey, and to this effect an inscription was placed within the tomb, by the heralds at their visitation of this county, in 1633. Others suppose it to belong to some other warrior of subsequent times, monuments of this description not being known at such an early period.

The ravages which this venerable pile has suffered are, perhaps, more strikingly visible in its interior than its exterior; but it still presents a solemn and majestic appearance, and whilst it proudly reminds us of its ancient grandeur, awfully forewarns us of “another and a better world.”—The altar-piece is in the style of the last century, with paintings of Moses and Aaron, and finishes the east end.

There are several monuments and inscriptions in memory of the Prynces, Baldwins, Reckes, and many other ancient and respectable Salopian families. The armorial bearings in the great west window, were restored A.D. 1815, from an ancient drawing in the Herald’s Office. The east window is also adorned with painted glass. In the center compartment, under gothic canopies, are large figures of St. Peter and St. Paul, with their appropriate symbols; above are the arms of England, the see of Lichfield, the Founder of the Abbey, and of Lord Berwick, the munificent donor of the window; on each side are escutcheons of the vicars from the year 1500. The bones of St. Winyfred were deposited in this abbey with great splendour, in the reign of Stephen.

The organ and the handsome gothic screen on which it stands, were erected in 1806. It is a very fine instrument, made by Mr. Gray, of London, and cost 365 guineas. On the screen are the arms of the principal benefactors.

In the parish chest are two small oval seals exactly similar in their dimensions, impresses and legends. Two clothed arms issue from the opposite sides of the area, one bearing a crosier, the other a naked sword; in the centre, a wand or staff of office. Inscription, “Sigillum commune de Fforyate Monachor”—the common seal of Monks Foregate. Some of our most skilful antiquaries are unable to give a sufficient reason why Monks Foregate came to have a common seal. Some of them have supposed that the parish might have obtained a charter of incorporation, while others think that it might have been assumed without authority. Neither of the two seals appear much older than the 15th century.

The patron of the living is Lord Berwick—the Rev. H. Burton, vicar, and Mr. John Amott, organist.

But the remain of this abbey which has most excited the attention of antiquaries, is a beautiful little structure on the south side of the gardens. Its plan is octagon, 6 feet in diameter. Some broken steps which did not belong to it originally, lead through a narrow flat arched door on the east, to the inside. The south part stands on a fragment of the ruins. The corresponding side projects considerably from the wall, resting upon a single corbel, terminating in a head. From this point it gradually swells, bound with a multitude of delicate ribbed mouldings, until it forms the basement under the floor. An obtuse dome of stone is suspended over the whole, at about eight feet from the base, supported on six narrow pointed arches, rising from pillars similar to the mullions of the windows. One of the remaining sides of the octagon is a solid blank wall, and in the other is a door. The roof within is vaulted on eight ribs, which spring from the wall immediately under the cavity of the dome. At their crossing in the centre is a boss, bearing a representation of the crucifixion, considerably relieved. The spaces between the divisions of the three northern arches, four feet above the bottom, are filled up with stone pannels, over which they are entirely open, a circumstance which, by permitting the light, is productive of a beautiful effect. On the centre pannel are two small figures in elegant tabernacles; in one of these is the figure of an angel, in the other, that of a woman, whom he is addressing; the whole seems intended to represent the annunciation. The right hand pannel is embellished with images of St. Peter and St. Paul bearing their respective symbols, with similar enrichments, and that on the left has two figures in monastic habits, one of them a female, probably St. Winyfred, the other a monk; the height of every figure is eighteen inches. The arches on the southern side are without ornaments, and are now quite open two feet from the floor.

In forming a garden on the site of the Abbey Cloisters, a great variety of fragments were met with, consisting of painted tiles with various devices, rich gothic tracery, window mullions, &c. and a very beautiful part of the pavement of the refectory; this, from its situation, being about 23 feet from the line of the outer refectory wall, and being part of the border of a pavement, satisfactorily proves the use to which this beautiful Gothic pulpit was applied, it being a custom in Benedictine monasteries, for one monk to read to the others during their meals in the refectory. In a parallel line, and at 12 feet distance from the wall of the dormitory, a considerable number of small Norman capitals and bases were found, strongly bedded in cement, and forming a foundation to some superstructure. As the west side of the cloisters must have occupied this situation, it may be presumed that there were cloisters of more ancient architecture, than these destroyed at the Reformation, to which the fragments found in the garden belonged.

[Picture: The pulpit]

St. Marys Church.

This venerable church is situated on a parallel with Castle-street, at the north-east part of the town, in a small area; and with the exception of St. Giles’, is the only structure of this place, which has been handed down to the present time in an entire state. It is built in the form of a cross, consisting of a nave side isles, transept, choir and its chapels, with a west steeple. The exterior presents various styles of ancient architecture. The basement of the tower is of red stone, and contains the small round-headed windows of the early Norman era. From the bell story the pointed style takes place, and is of the grey free stone of Grinshill quarry, as is also the greatest part of the fabric. The tower is large, but low. The upper story has on every side handsome double windows. From the tower rises a lofty and beautiful spire. The windows of the lower parts bear the remains of rich spiring canopies and pinnacles. The height of the tower is 76 feet, of the spire 140.

Upon the south side of the church is a stone porch of early Norman architecture. Its outward arch is circular, with diagonal or zig-zag mouldings, the inner rib obtusely pointed. The small pointed windows on each side are curious specimens of the very earliest rudiments of the mullioned window. The ceiling also presents an example of the most ancient kind of groined vault, and consists of four round massive ribs crossing each other in the centre, without any boss or ornament. The semicircular arch of the interior door is a good specimen of the style of building in fashion from the conquest to the days of Henry II. The north door is an elegant example of this ancient kind of building. Formerly it was an unsightly wooden porch, which was removed in 1801. The arches of the north and south doors of the transept are in the same early style. The decorations of the latter are rather uncommon, having lozenge pannels placed alternately, and each filled with an embossed flower. The side aisles, with the upper story of the nave and choir, have pointed windows with mullions, while those of the transept are long and lancet shaped, without any. The higher walls of the nave were, in the repair of 1786, very injudiciously raised some feet above their original level, which altogether destroys the ancient proportions, and gives the whole building a top-heavy appearance. Formerly the church was crowned with pinnacles, which issued from the spaces between each window and the corner buttresses of the transept and choir, but now, excepting those on the chapel, not one remains.

Within, the church is spacious, lofty, interesting, and from its venerable and solemn appearance, admirably adapted to the purposes of religious meditation.

As chanced, the portal of the sacred pile Stood open, and we entered. On my frame, At such transition from the fervid air, A grateful coolness fell, that seem’d to strike The heart, in concert with that temperate awe And natural reverence which the place inspired.

WORDSWORTH.

The walls of the nave are supported on each side by four semicircular arches, with moulding peculiar to the pointed style, and these spring from finely clustered pillars, their shafts having the small flat rib which belongs to the 13th century. The capitals are highly enriched with foliage, and, as is usual in ancient churches, are all of different designs. Above the arches is a clere-story, with a high range of short windows on both sides, running the whole length of the church. These are irregularly ranged in couplets, and have heads very obtusely pointed, each divided by a single mullion. The ceiling of the nave, which is of oak, rises into an extremely flat arch, separated by its principal beams into square pannels, including circles richly adorned with quatrefoils and foliage. The ribs and bosses at their intersections, are carved, with double roses, devices and knots; those attached to the centre beam having pendant ornaments, pelicans, angels with musical instruments, and grotesque sculptures. The chancel is considerably elevated by two ascents of steps. On each side is a pointed arch, blocked up, resting upon imposts similar to the clustered pillars in the nave. Several

— marble monuments are here displayed Upon the walls: and on the floor beneath Sepulchral stones appear, with emblems graven And foot-worn epitaphs, and some with small And shining effigies of brass inlaid,

belonging to the Lyster, Morhall, Lloyd, Gardner, and Sandford families. On the north side, near the altar, is a beautiful triple window, with arches remarkably sharp pointed, the centre rising much higher than those of each side and supported upon slender insulated columns, whose capitals are adorned with foliage, busts, and grotesque heads. The ceiling of oak pannelling, was in this part quite plain. The interstices between the beams have been plastered over and painted with trefoil and other appropriate enrichments, and the intersections adorned with carved roses and devices, collected from the ruins of St. Chad’s and St. Alkmond’s. In the chancel, is an altar tomb, upon which is a recumbent figure of a cross legged knight, in linked armour, the sides adorned with rich foliated niches, once containing figures. This monument is supposed to belong to John de Leyborne, of Berwick Leyborne, last of the family. In the vestry, under a low pointed arch, is a plain altar tomb, which has formerly been ornamented with shields; on the massy alabaster slab which covers it, are engraven the figures of a man in armour, bareheaded, with his wife, both in the act of prayer. From the inscription which is somewhat defaced, we learn, that it was erected to — Stafford and Catherine his wife, in 1463. In the transept and nave there are some singular monumental figures, brought here from the ruins of St. Chad’s and St. Alkmond’s, but to whom they belonged has not been ascertained.

The lower divisions of the great window which terminates the chancel, is occupied by some ancient painted glass brought from old St. Chad’s, representing the root of Jesse: the arch or head is made up with ancient coats of arms and modern stained glass. The altar piece is a rich Grecian design. The altar is a fine slab of Sienna marble bordered with jasper, and was the gift of the Rev. Hugh Owen, vicar of St. Julian’s, when curate here in 1789. In the gallery at the west end of the nave, is a very handsome organ, made by John Harris and John Byfield, and as this church, with the exception of St. Lawrence, at Ludlow, is the handsomest in the county, so the organ with a like exception, is the most powerful and best toned. In the tower is a musical peal of ten bells, the harmony of which is not exceeded by that of any other peal in the town.

On the south-west side of the church-yard is a tomb-stone erected to the memory of Thomas Anderson, a lieutenant in Ligonier’s regiment of light horse, who was tried at Worcester for desertion, in the first German war of George II. and removed here for execution. He was shot on Kingsland, near this town, on the 11th of December, 1752, and met his fate with calmness and fortitude. At the foot of the tower is a stone in memory of Robert Cadman, who in January, 1740, in an attempt to descend from the top of the spire by means of a rope affixed to it, the other end of which was placed in the fields on the opposite side of the river, fell lifeless in St. Mary’s Friars, through the breaking of the rope, amidst an immense number of spectators. The inscription is quaint:—

Let this small monument record the name Of Cadman, and to future times proclaim, How from a bold attempt to fly from this high spire, Across the Sabrine stream, he did acquire His fatal end: ’Twas not for want of skill Or courage to perform the task, he fell, No, no, a faulty cord being drawn too tight, Hurried his soul on high to take her flight, Which bid the body here beneath, good night.

The right of presentation to this living is vested in the Corporation of Shrewsbury at large; and in the choice of a minister, (who must at least be a M.A.) the son of a burgess who has been brought up at the Free Schools; or one born in the parish of Chirbury, is to have the preference. The church is a royal peculiar, the Official having cognizance of all ecclesiastical matters arising within the parish and its subordinate chapelries. He is stiled “Ordinary and Official, Principal of the peculiar and exempt jurisdiction of the Free Royal Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” The present minister, who is also official, is the Rev. John Brickdale Blakeway, M.A.—Organist, Mr. Thomas Tomlins.

St. Julian’s Church,

Situated at the top of Wyle Cop, originally of Saxon election, is a plain substantial structure of brick and stone, rebuilt in 1750, at an expense of £2000. At the west end is the square tower of the old church; the lower part being of red stone and in a more ancient style than the higher story, which is of the 16th century. It is furnished with six bells. In the east wall of the chancel is a small female figure within a foliated tabernacle, preserved from the reins of the old church, and probably representing St. Juliana, the patroness.

The form of this church is an oblong square, 83ft. by 48ft. the roof being supported by four Doric columns on each side. The ceiling is ornamented with the fret work of the old church. The altar-piece is adorned with Ionic pilasters, supporting a rich cornice and architrave. The east window is filled with fine painted glass, consisting chiefly of a large ancient figure of St. James, bearing the Scriptures in his hand, purchased in 1804, from the splendid collection of glass brought from Rouen, in Normandy, during the French Revolution, and is extremely well executed. Above the Apostle are escutcheons of the arms of France and England, quarterly, and those of the corporation, and see of Lichfield. The arms of the present and ancient patrons of the church, Earl Tankerville, Sir John Astley, and Prince, together with those of the families of Rocke, Powys, Bowdler, &c. &c. are exhibited in various situations in the edifice, which is likewise beautified with a variety of painted and stained glass. The only ancient monument in this church which is worthy the attention of the antiquarian, is a slab of coarse alabaster, lately removed from the church-yard into the chancel. It is nearly a foot in thickness and as hard as flint; and besides a modern epitaph which has been inserted in the centre of it, it contains round the edge this inscription, in Longobardic capitals, now nearly obliterated, but capable of being read, EASMONYND TROVMWYN GIST ICI DIEV DE SA ALME EN EYT MERCI AMEN. i.e. Edmund Trowmwyn lieth here, may God have mercy on his soul. Amen.

There is an organ in the gallery.

The Earl of Tankerville is the patron. The present incumbent is the Rev. Hugh Owen, F.A.S. Archdeacon of Salop, portionary of Bampton, Oxfordshire, and prebendary of Salisbury.

Old St. Chad’s Church

Is situated at the top of Belmont.