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

by W. A. Leighton

According to entries in the Parish Books of the date 1665, this church originally possessed a “steeple” at the western end, probably an open stone bell-turret, somewhat similar to the present one, springing from corbels, which were visible in the western wall previous to its being rebuilt in 1852, and a porch before the south door. In the “steeple” was a “great bell” and two smaller ones, which were taken down in 1672, and used in the following year, with four lesser bells and the great “Wenefrede” Bell, in the recasting of the present ring of eight of the Abbey Church.

In 1740, a considerable sum raised by subscription was expended in a thorough repair of St. Giles’s Church, when probably the “steeple” and the porch were removed, a bell-turret and single bell erected, and the whole brought into the state in which it continued down to the recent restoration.

In 1827 this curious edifice was, through the laudable exertions and entirely at the expense of the Rev. W. G. Rowland, the liberal donor of the beautiful east window, thoroughly and judiciously repaired, and happily rescued from that ruin and decay to which its previous neglected condition was fast hastening.

The primitive rude and massive oak benches in the nave were subsequently removed, and replaced with new ones. A new pulpit, reading-pew, and altar-screen, of oak, beautifully carved and in unison with the architecture, were added, and the whole building fitted up for divine service by the pious munificence of the late Rev. Richard Scott, B.D. Divine Service, which had previously been celebrated only on two Sunday evenings in the year, has, since June 1836, been regularly offered up every Sunday.

In the church-yard is a large stone with a cavity on the upper side, (doubtless the base and socket of the cross) termed “the PEST BASIN,” which tradition states to have been used during the time of the plague for holding water, in which, to avoid the spread of the disease, the towns-people deposited their money in their bargains for provisions with the country-folk. A portion of the head of this cross was discovered under the west wall of the church during the repairs in 1852. It is now placed in the north aisle, and displays sculptures of the Crucifixion, St. Giles, Virgin and Child, and St. Michael.

Our town has been many times visited with those severe scourges of Heaven, the dreadful pestilential diseases of the sweating sickness and the plague. The former desolated the town in the reign of Edward III. in 1349, and again in that of Henry VII., in the years 1485 and 1551; and the latter raged here with frightful fury in the years 1537, 1575, 1630, 1632, and 1634. In the years 1832 and 1849, also, many of the inhabitants fell victims to the cholera.

For the support of the Hospital of Lepers, Henry II. granted thirty shillings yearly out of the rent of the County of Salop, and a handful of two hands of every sack of corn, and a handful of one hand of every sack of flour, exposed for sale in Shrewsbury market. Henry III. also in 1232 gave them a horse-load of wood, daily, from his wood of Lythwood.

The appointment of the Master was vested in the Abbot and Convent of Shrewsbury, who, a short time previous to the Dissolution, granted a long lease of it to Richard Lee, Esq. of Langley, who assigning his interest to the family of Prince, of the White Hall, it passed with their other estates into the Tankerville family. The Earl of Tankerville still annually receives from the Sheriff the thirty shillings granted by Henry II. and nominates the four hospitallers, who now live in the adjoining comfortable cottages, and to each of whom his Lordship pays 1s. 6d. per week, 3s. at Midsummer for coal, and 12s. 6d. at Christmas for a garment. [153]