St James' Church, Stirchley
Encyclopedia
St James' Church, Stirchley, is a redundant
Anglican
church in Stirchley
, Shropshire
, England . Stirchley was formerly a separate village but is now part of the new town
of Telford
. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. The church and its churchyard are designated as Scheduled ancient monuments.
and tower was encased in brick, and the tower was heightened. A north aisle
was added in 1838 for the use of the workers in the local Old Park Ironworks, owned by Thomas Botfield.
The church closed for worship in 1975 and came into the ownership of the Telford Development Corporation who were organising the building of the new town. It later came to be owned by English Partnerships
. On 31 March 2006 the church was vested
in the Churches Conservation Trust, and English Partnerships gave an endowment
for its repair and care.
, and a west tower. The chancel is in Norman
style, and constructed in squared yellow sandstone
blocks. The nave and tower are in Georgian
style, and constructed in red brick with sandstone dressings. The nave stands on a plinth
of Grinshill
stone. The chancel has round-headed lancet window
s, and one south window with Y-tracery
. In the nave there are two round-headed windows, and there a more round-headed windows in the north aisle. The tower is in three stages. In the bottom stage is a round-headed west doorway, and above it in the middle stage is a large round-headed window. The top stage has round-headed bell openings on each side. On the summit of the tower is a pyramidal roof with a finial
and a weathervane.
s, and is decorated with carvings of chain links, rosettes in lozenges, and two types of chevrons. The capitals
are carved with scallops and foliage. The architectural historians John Newman and Nikolaus Pevsner
describe the arch as being "quite incongruously ornate". Also in the church is a west gallery with a balustraded
front, and a north gallery with tiered seating. The pulpit
, reading desk, and box pew
s all date from about 1740, and were rearranged in 1838. The stained glass in the church dates from the Victorian
and Edwardian eras; some of it was moved from the parish church
at Burwarton
when it closed. The ring
consists of three bells. These were cast in 1410 by John de Colsale, in 1594 by Henry II Oldfield, and in 1664 by Thomas II Clibury.
monument to the memory of Thomas Botfield who died in 1801. The consists of an urn
on a tall pedestal
. The churchyard is on the Heritage at Risk
register, the principal vulnerability being vandalism.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in Stirchley
Stirchley, Shropshire
Stirchley is a component settlement of the new town of Telford, in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. Stirchley lies just south-east of the town centre, and shares a parish council with neighbouring Brookside, which together have a population of 10,533...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, England . Stirchley was formerly a separate village but is now part of the new town
New towns in the United Kingdom
Below is a list of some of the new towns in the United Kingdom created under the various New Town Acts of the 20th century. Some earlier towns were developed as Garden Cities or overspill estates early in the twentieth century. The New Towns proper were planned to disperse population following the...
of Telford
Telford
Telford is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham...
. The church has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. The church and its churchyard are designated as Scheduled ancient monuments.
History
The church was built in the 12th century. In about 1740 the masonry of the naveNave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and tower was encased in brick, and the tower was heightened. A north aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
was added in 1838 for the use of the workers in the local Old Park Ironworks, owned by Thomas Botfield.
The church closed for worship in 1975 and came into the ownership of the Telford Development Corporation who were organising the building of the new town. It later came to be owned by English Partnerships
English Partnerships
English Partnerships was the national regeneration agency for England, performing a similar role on a national level to that fulfilled by Regional Development Agencies on a regional level...
. On 31 March 2006 the church was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Churches Conservation Trust, and English Partnerships gave an endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
for its repair and care.
Exterior
The plan of the church is simple, consisting of a nave with a north aisle, a chancelChancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, and a west tower. The chancel is in Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
style, and constructed in squared yellow sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
blocks. The nave and tower are in Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
style, and constructed in red brick with sandstone dressings. The nave stands on a plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
of Grinshill
Grinshill
Grinshill is a small village, hill and civil parish in Shropshire, England, United Kingdom.The parish is one of the smallest in the district. There is a stone quarry here and the hill rises to 192m above sea level....
stone. The chancel has round-headed lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
s, and one south window with Y-tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
. In the nave there are two round-headed windows, and there a more round-headed windows in the north aisle. The tower is in three stages. In the bottom stage is a round-headed west doorway, and above it in the middle stage is a large round-headed window. The top stage has round-headed bell openings on each side. On the summit of the tower is a pyramidal roof with a finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
and a weathervane.
Interior
The most impressive internal structure is the Norman chancel arch. It consists of two orders of shafts and three orders of voussoirVoussoir
A voussoir is a wedge-shaped element, typically a stone, used in building an arch or vault.Although each unit in an arch or vault is a voussoir, two units are of distinct functional importance: the keystone and the springer. The keystone is the center stone or masonry unit at the apex of an arch. A...
s, and is decorated with carvings of chain links, rosettes in lozenges, and two types of chevrons. The capitals
Capital (architecture)
In architecture the capital forms the topmost member of a column . It mediates between the column and the load thrusting down upon it, broadening the area of the column's supporting surface...
are carved with scallops and foliage. The architectural historians John Newman and Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
describe the arch as being "quite incongruously ornate". Also in the church is a west gallery with a balustraded
Baluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
front, and a north gallery with tiered seating. The pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
, reading desk, and box pew
Box pew
Box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th century.-History in England:...
s all date from about 1740, and were rearranged in 1838. The stained glass in the church dates from the Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
and Edwardian eras; some of it was moved from the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
at Burwarton
Burwarton
Burwarton is a small village and civil parish in Shropshire, England....
when it closed. The ring
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
consists of three bells. These were cast in 1410 by John de Colsale, in 1594 by Henry II Oldfield, and in 1664 by Thomas II Clibury.
External features
The church stands in a polygonal churchyard, which has been the burial ground for the people of Stirchley since at least the 13th century. It contains a number of table tombs. Against the south wall of the chancel is a NeoclassicalNeoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
monument to the memory of Thomas Botfield who died in 1801. The consists of an urn
Urn
An urn is a vase, ordinarily covered, that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed pedestal. "Knife urns" placed on pedestals flanking a dining-room sideboard were an English innovation for high-style dining rooms of the late 1760s...
on a tall pedestal
Pedestal
Pedestal is a term generally applied to the support of a statue or a vase....
. The churchyard is on the Heritage at Risk
Heritage at Risk
Heritage at Risk is a collective term applied to 'designated' heritage assets that are at risk as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development, or are vulnerable to becoming so.In England, an annual Heritage at Risk Register is published by English Heritage...
register, the principal vulnerability being vandalism.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Shropshire
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in the English Midlands