St James' Church, Stirchley
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox church | name = St James' Church, Stirchley| fullname = | image = St James, Stirchley (geograph 3257095).jpg| imagesize = | imagealt = | landscape = | caption = St James Church| pushpin map = Shropshire| pushpin map alt = | pushpin mapsize = 200 | pushpin label position = | map caption = Location in Shropshire| location = Stirchley, Shropshire| country = England | coordinates = {{coord|52.6573|-2.4452|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}} | osgraw = SJ 699 067 | denomination = Anglican | churchmanship = | membership = | attendance = | website = [http://www.visitchurches.org.uk/Ourchurches/Completelistofchurches/St-James-Church-Stirchley-Shropshire/ Churches Conservation Trust] | former name = | bull date = | founded date = | founder = | dedication = Saint James| dedicated date = | consecrated date = | cult = | relics = | events = | past bishop = | people = | status = | functional status = Redundant| heritage designation = Grade I| designated date = 8 April 1983 | architect = | architectural type = Church | style = Norman, Georgian| groundbreaking = 12th century | completed date = 1838 | construction cost = | closed date = 1975| demolished date = | capacity = | length = | width = | width nave = | height = | diameter = | other dimensions = | floor count = | floor area = | spire quantity = | spire height = | materials = Sandstone chancel,
Brick nave and tower with sandstone dressings}}
St James' Church is a redundant Anglican church in Stirchley, Shropshire, England. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building,{{NHLE |num= 1352002|desc= Church of St James, Stirchley and Brookside|accessdate= 25 November 2013|mode=cs2}} and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.{{Citation | url = http://www.visitchurches.org.uk/Ourchurches/Completelistofchurches/St-James-Church-Stirchley-Shropshire/| title = St James' Church, Stirchley, Shropshire | access-date = 29 March 2011| publisher = Churches Conservation Trust}} The churchyard is designated as a Scheduled ancient monument.{{NHLE |num= 1020852|desc=Churchyard of St James's Church |accessdate= 25 November 2013|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x}}
History
The church was built in the 12th century. In about 1740 the masonry of the nave 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.{{Citation | last =Newman| first =John| last2 = Pevsner | first2 = Nikolaus | author2-link = Nikolaus Pevsner | title =The Buildings of England: Shropshire | publisher =Yale University Press | year =2006 | location =New Haven and London | page = 650| isbn =0-300-12083-4 }} The church was declared redundant on 1 November 1975, and was vested in the Churches Conservation Trust on 30 March 2006.{{Citation | publication-date = 1 October 2012 | title = Diocese of Lichfield: All Schemes| series = Church Commissioners/Statistics | url = http://www.churchofengland.org/media/810690/lichfield.pdf | access-date =25 November 2013}}
Architecture
=Exterior=
The plan of the church is simple, consisting of a nave with a north aisle, a chancel, 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 chancel has round-headed lancet windows, 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.
=Interior=
The most impressive internal structure is the Norman chancel arch. It consists of two orders of shafts and three orders of voussoirs, 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 pews all date from about 1740, and were rearranged in 1838.
There is brass plaque to men of Stirchley who died serving World War I, as well as a row of four shields bearing each a name, three to men who died in the latter war, and one in World War II. The church also preserves a huge wooden roll of honour of men who served in World War I which was moved from St Luke's Church, Doseley (closed 1975).{{cite book|last=Francis|first=Peter|title=Shropshire War Memorials, Sites of Remembrance|year=2013|publisher=YouCaxton Publications|page=143|isbn=978-1-909644-11-3}}
There is a ring 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.{{Citation | url = http://dove.cccbr.org.uk/detail.php?searchString=stirchley&Submit=+Go+&DoveID=TELFORDSTI | title = Telford, Stirchley, S James | access-date = 10 October 2010| publisher = Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=18133#s1 Stirchley Churches in Victoria County History]
- [http://stirchleychurchandrectorysalop.jimdo.com Stirchley Church & Rectory, Shropshire]
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Category:12th-century church buildings in England
Category:Churches completed in 1740
Category:Churches completed in 1838
Category:Grade I listed churches in Shropshire
Category:Church of England church buildings in Shropshire
Category:English churches with Norman architecture
Category:Georgian architecture in England
Category:Churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust
Category:Scheduled monuments in Shropshire