A guide, descriptive and historical, through the Town of Shrewsbury

by W. A. Leighton

By the pious munificence of the late Minister, the Rev. W. G. Rowland, the west end has been enriched by an elegant Organ-screen, [67] in the style of Henry 7th’s time, designed and executed by Mr. John Carline, of this town. Three obtusely pointed arches, overspread with deep-cut mouldings and richly foliaged spandrils, and separated by intervening buttresses elaborately adorned with open flowers in relief set in reticulated divisions, open to the nave and form the lower portion of the front. Above which, from a string-course, charged with finely sculptured heads, flowers, &c. rises the upper part or parapet, consisting of a series of similar, though smaller arches, divided by slender buttresses, and filled with the like ornamented reticulations. Around the soffits of the larger arches are the following inscriptions, in ancient church-text:—

Venite Domino exultemus;
Rupi salutatis jubilemus;
Jehovam hymnis concinamus;
Et grates illi persolvamus—Hallelujah.

Jehovam virgines laudate,
Senes et pueri celebrate;
Psalmis ecclesia sanctorum
Extollat Dominum Dominorum.

Laudate carminis clamore,
Laudate buccinæ clangore,
Laudate organo sonoro,
Laudate cymbalis et choro.

This spacious gallery contains a remarkably fine-toned organ, made by John Harris and John Byfield, 1729.

The beautiful ceiling of the nave is of pannelled oak, richly studded with elegant and exquisitely carved pendants and foliated bosses, and merits the most minute attention, not only on account of its elaborate workmanship, but as being one of the richest and most highly preserved specimens of its kind now in existence.

The side-aisles are each lighted on the sides by three pointed traceried windows, with smaller and earlier ones at the western terminations, and communicate at their eastern extremities with the transept, by semicircular arches, rising from thick round pillars with indented capitals.

In the windows of the western ends are figures of St. Andrew and St. John. The central window of the north aisle contains some beautiful stained glass from Holland, depicting the following subjects—Holy Family; Kneeling figure; Balaam and the Angel; the Donor and patron Saint; Adam and Eve; Mater Dolorosa; Angel appearing to the Shepherds; Disciples washing each other’s feet:—Justice; Kneeling figure; a Bishop in grief or disgrace; the Donor’s Wife and patron Saint. The windows on either side are filled with various ecclesiastical subjects. The central window of the south-aisle contains part of the history of St. Bernard; that on the west, the adoration of the Magi; and the east one, St. Helena, Kneeling figure, and Charlemagne.

A lofty and graceful pointed arch, including in its span the entire breadth of the nave, rises from richly clustered piers with foliated capitals, and divides the nave from the ancient choir. Against the north pier is a beautiful Stone Pulpit, designed and executed by Mr. S. Pountney Smith, of this town, and erected by the parishioners as a Memorial of their late revered Minister, Rev. W. G. Rowland. Its plan is an unequal octagon, the sides of which are carved into deep-pointed arches, springing from round pillars with rich foliated capitals, resting on a basement of gradually receding mouldings, terminated by a richly carved boss representing the Saviour preaching. The trefoil and the dog-tooth are the prevailing ornaments throughout. The central panel towards the south bears a bas-relief of the Crucifixion; the arch on the east, a statue of St. Peter, and that on the west, St. Paul; the eastern panel represents the Angels appearing to the Shepherds; the western one, the Ascension; and the northern arch, the statue of St. John the Evangelist.

Eastward of this, on each side, is a similar arch of like dimensions, springing from the same pier. From these, the wings of the transept, corresponding in size and style, branch off to the north and south. In the eastern wall of each wing are two semicircular arches, those nearest the choir being larger than the others, and communicating with the chauntry chapels. At each extremity of the transept is a fine triple lancet window, highly enriched with slender shafts, foliated capitals, and delicate mouldings, and filled with beautiful stained glass. That at the north is of a rich and elaborate mosaic design, with oval compartments, enclosing figures of the Apostles and an escutcheon of the arms of George III., executed by Mr. David Evans. That at the south contains the memorial stained glass to the late Rev. W. G. Rowland, comprising figures of the Virgin and Child, St. Thomas, and St. Bartholomew, under rich florid canopies, with groups of angels above, bearing scrolls with inscriptions. The side walls are pierced with narrow lights, in couplets, in a similar but plainer style; one of which, on the west side of the north transept, contains the Virgin and Child, under a canopy; whilst the corresponding window in the south transept contains the arms of France and England quarterly, and the armorial bearings of the late Bishop Butler, and the alliances of his family. The narrow doorways [71] are semicircular, rising from round pillars with foliated capitals, and enriched with a moulding, consisting of a round branch, swelling at intervals into lozenged panels, charged with roses. Under the triple lancet window of the south transept is a large and bold Gothic monument, in three compartments, to the family of Lloyd, and to the widow of the late Bishop Butler: and around the walls of the north transept are placed the splendid Gothic monuments to

THE REV. J. B. BLAKEWAY,