The present church, built in 1749 on the site of a former edifice, which had become ruinous, is an oblong structure in the Grecian style, consisting of nave, chancel, and side aisles, with a tower at the west end. This tower is the only existing portion of the old church which remains, and is crowned with eight crochetted pinnacles. It has an excellent illuminated clock; and a peal of six bells, which were recast in 1706. The interior has a handsome appearance: four Doric pillars on each side the nave support the ceiling, which is carved and decorated with the fret-work of the old church. Over the side aisles and west end are commodious galleries, in the latter of which is a superior organ, erected by subscription in 1834. The east window contains a figure of St. James, in ancient stained glass, which was purchased from a splendid collection brought from Rouen in 1804. Several of the other windows are ornamented with armorial bearings. There is only one monument of any antiquity: a coarse marble slab, inscribed in Longobaric capitals to a member of the Trumwin family. Among the memorials of a modern date is one to the memory of Mr. John Allatt, the benevolent founder of Allatt’s Free School. The south aisle contains a neat memorial, of the Grinshill freestone, to commemorate the liberality of the late Rev. Richard Scott, B.D., who expended upwards of £1,500 in the reparations of this church, and other improvements connected with the fabric. It contains the following inscription, dated 1847, in reference to the improvements made by Mr. Scott: “Who, in Christian love, and a desire to honour God with his substance, has caused an effective architectural character to be given to the exterior of the south side of this sacred edifice, which, from the limited funds raised for its re-edification in 1750, necessarily induced brick as a material, and a design possessing little claim to taste; stone piers are now set at each end of the building and between the lower windows, which have been lengthened. Above, on a block cornice, are Roman Doric pilasters which sustain an entablature, crowned by an open balustrade and vase-shaped acroteria. Fretted console tables have been added to the upper windows, the architecture entirely renewed, and, like those below, re-glazed with metallic frame-work. A new portal and door at the eastern end of the south aisle, and the surface of this portion of the church and chancel, covered with stucco; the apex of the gable being finished with an appropriate ornament.”
In the north aisle is a similar memorial, inscribed to the same individual for his munificent beneficence “In erecting an ornamental stone wall and parapet round the church-yard, flagging the foot-path underneath and that on the eastern side, and likewise along the basement of the church, renewing the steps at the south-east thoroughfare, and lowering, repairing, and enclosing those which form the main approach from the street to the cemetery; also for a new pavement in the area leading to and from before the south door, rebuilding the steps of the portico with the addition thereto of a continuous pedestal, painting the north side of the church, and cleaning the stone work, roofing the chancel, and placing thereon a stone cornice and blocking course, with a foliated cone at each angle, as well as for other useful improvements connected with the fabric.” The living of St. Julian’s is a perpetual curacy, returned at £159, in the patronage of Earl Tankerville, and incumbency of the Rev. James Jardine Rogerson, M.A. The chapel of Ford was formerly an appendent of this church.
St. George’s Church, situated at Frankwell, is a neat cruciform structure, in the Gothic style, with a short tower at the west end, ornamented with four pinnacles. It is built of the beautiful Grinshill freestone, from a design by Mr. Haycock. The cost was nearly £4,000, raised by voluntary subscription. It was consecrated for divine service on January 30th, 1832. The interior has a chaste and elegant appearance, and will contain a congregation of 750 persons. Of the sittings, 460 are free and unappropriated. By the liberality of the late Rev. Richard Scott, B.D., the chancel has been beautified with an altar screen, the gallery with a small organ, and the triple lancet windows filled with splendid stained glass. The centre window contains a full-length figure of Isaiah, clothed in a brilliant vest of purple, over which is thrown a green robe lined with ermine, denoting his royal descent. The windows on each side have spirited figures of St. Matthew and St. Mark. The former exhibits deep and serious meditation, and holds a manuscript in his left hand; and the latter, a venerable figure, is pointing to an open gospel, which he holds in his left hand. The windows in the north and south transepts are also embellished with glass of a rich and elaborate mosaic pattern, which contributes to the imposing effect of the splendid east window. The living is a perpetual curacy, returned at £118, in the patronage of the vicar of St. Chad; incumbent, the Rev. John Harding, M.A.
St. Michael’s Church, situated in the populous suburb of Castle Foregate, is a neat brick structure, in the Grecian style of architecture, consisting of nave, side aisles, and elliptical recess for the communion, with an octagonal tower in three divisions, rising to the height of seventy feet, over the side aisles are galleries which are free; there is also a spacious gallery in the west end for the use of the school children, in which stands a small organ the gift of the Rev. W. G. Rowland, M.A. The pulpit and reading desk are octagonal, and placed on opposite sides of the church; the roof is panelled in large square compartments, and painted in imitation of oak. Three windows of stained glass which decorate the chancel are the exquisite productions of Mr. David Evans. The centre one is illustrative of the Nativity, from the celebrated “La Notte” of Correggio. The windows on each side represent the Annunciation, and the Presentation in the Temple; the former from a picture by Guido, and the latter from a celebrated painting by Rubens. These windows were the gift of the Rev. W. G. Rowland, M.A., to whose liberality the parishioners are also indebted for the service of communion plate, the peal of six bells, which hang in the tower, and the erection of the adjacent school rooms, for the education of the poor children of this populous portion of the parish of St. Mary’s. The church was erected at an expense of £2000, raised by subscription, and consecrated on the 24th August, 1830, as a chapel of ease to St. Mary’s church. The edifice contains 800 sittings, of which 600 are free and unappropriated.
The Church of the Holy Trinity, situated on the Meole-road, was erected in 1837, for the accommodation of the inhabitants of the populous suburb of Coleham. It was built at a cost of nearly £1900, raised by subscription, aided by the grant of £600, from the Lichfield Diocesan Society, and a further grant of £150, from the Incorporated Church Building Society. The structure is a neat fabric of brick with a short tower; the body of the church has five windows on each side, and an elliptical recess for the communion, separated, internally, from the nave by a circular arch. The church contains 812 sittings, of which 504 are free. The window over the altar contains beautifully executed figures in stained glass, of the Evangelists, and St. Peter and St. Paul; several of the other windows are beautified with scriptural medallions, in stained glass, which together with a handsome service of communion plate, were presented by the late Rev. Richard Scott, B.D. This place of worship was formed into a district parish church in 1841. The living is a perpetual curacy enjoyed by the Rev. James Colley, M.A.
Ancient Chapels.—Several ancient chapels formerly stood in various parts of the town, the most considerable of which seems to have been the collegiate chapel of St. Michael, within the castle. No vestige of its site now remains, though it probably existed, at least in a ruinous state, in the reign of James II., for, it appears at that time, an order was made by the corporation, “that enquiry should he made after the stones taken away from the ruins of St. Michael’s chapel within the castle.” Part of the Chapel of St. Nicholas, on the left hand entrance to the council house, is still standing; it is of the early Norman era, and most probably was built by the first Norman, Earl of Shrewsbury, for the use of such of his retainers as resided in the outer works of the castle. The only portions of this edifice at present remaining are the nave, a massive arch formerly opening into the chancel, and two similar side arches. The building is now converted into a stable. St. Catherine’s Chapel is stated to have occupied an elevated site upon Coton-hill. The Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene, a site near Trinity Church. St. Blase’s Chapel was situated in the Murivance. A tea garden near the site of the Belle-vue, was formerly called the Hermitage. These and other ecclesiastical edifices which once adorned this eminent town, have now disappeared; yet their faint traces still afford matter of interesting speculation for the antiquary.
DISSENTING CHAPELS.
The Presbyterian Chapel, situated in High-street, as the first dissenting place of worship established in the town, claims our first attention. To the act of uniformity, which, on St. Bartholomew’s day, 1662, drove from their livings upwards of two thousand clergymen of the church of England, Shrewsbury is indebted for its first dissenting church. It was formed by the Rev. John Bryan, M.A., and the Rev. Francis Tallants, M.A., ejected from the livings of St. Chad’s and St. Mary’s. Their meetings were first held in the house of Mrs. Hunt, and after experiencing various alternations of suffering and indulgence during the unsettled times that followed the act of uniformity, in 1683 their meetings were suppressed, and these eminent preachers of the gospel were forced into obscurity. On King James II. allowing liberty to Dissenters to meet for worship, they assembled as before in Mrs. Hunt’s house. In 1691, they built a chapel in High-street, and Mr. Tallants caused the following (with the latter sentence the Hugonists, of France, usually began their worship,) to be painted on the walls:—“This place was not built for a faction or a party, but to promote repentance and faith in communion with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. ‘Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.’” The year 1715 was particularly unfortunate for Protestant Dissenters; mobs and riots arose in various places, particularly in Lancashire, Shropshire, and Staffordshire—among the chapels pulled down in Shropshire were those of Wem, Whitchurch, and Shrewsbury. The chapel, in High-street, was soon after rebuilt by the government, and the liberties of Dissenters confirmed and fixed upon a solid foundation. In 1839 the venerable chapel was almost entirely taken down, owing to the building being considered unsafe, and because the commissioners under the street act required a part of the premises. It was rebuilt nearly on the old site, and re-opened for public worship in July, 1840. The interior has a simple and primitive appearance, the fittings are of old oak; there is accommodation for about 300 worshippers. The Rev. Richard Astley has been the respected pastor of the congregation since the year 1831. For a more extended and very pleasing account of this place of worship, we beg to refer our readers to the “History of the Presbyterian Meeting House of Shrewsbury,” published by the present minister in 1847.
The Independent Chapel, situated on Swan-hill, had, its origin in some unhappy disputes which arose in the congregation worshipping in High-street chapel, relative to the invitation of a minister being invited to settle among them. The chapel is a substantial brick edifice, with a neatly furnished interior, and contains six hundred sittings. On a stone tablet in the front is the following inscription:—“This building was erected in the year 1767, for the public worship of God, and in defence of the rights of majorities in Protestant Dissenting congregations, to choose their own ministers.” There is a cemetery adjoining the chapel. The Rev. Thomas Weaver has been the pastor of the congregation worshipping here for 52 years.
The Independent Chapel, Castle-gates, a handsome building of free stone, is the most imposing structure in connection with the nonconformists in the town of Shrewsbury. It was erected in 1845, at a cost (including the site) of £3000. The interior has a very chaste, and beautiful appearance; it will hold six hundred persons. The Rev. Edward Hill is the minister.