St Chad's Church, Shrewsbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Chad's Church, Shrewsbury |
|
|---|---|
The current building of St Chad's Church, Shrewsbury, seen from The Quarry
|
|
| Location | St Chad's Terrace, Shrewsbury, SY1 1JX |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic Celtic Christianity |
| Churchmanship | Liberal Catholic |
| Website | www.stchadschurchshrewsbury.com |
| History | |
| Founded | c560 |
| Founder(s) | ? Brochwel Ysgithrog;? King Offa |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 10 January 1953 |
| Architect(s) | George Steuart |
| Years built | 1792 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Lichfield |
St Chad's Church in Shrewsbury is a very old church. People believe it was first started in Saxon times, possibly around 500 CE. Some think King Offa founded it. It might even have begun on the site of an old royal palace in Shrewsbury, when the town was called Pengwern.
For almost 1,000 years, the church stood on a different spot, near College Hill. It only moved to its current round building in 1792. This unique round shape and tall tower make it a famous landmark in the town. You can find it close to the Quarry park area. The church building is so important that it's a Grade I listed building.
The church's motto is "open doors, open hearts, and open minds." This means they want everyone to feel welcome. They also aim to be active in the community and help people explore their faith.
A very famous scientist, Charles Darwin, was baptised at St Chad's Church in 1809. He also went to church here as a young boy with his mother, Susannah.
In 2010, St Chad's Church joined the Greater Churches Group. This group includes large, important parish churches across England.
Contents
Church History
The Old Church Building
The church you see today replaced a much older one. This first church was also dedicated to St Chad. It stood on a different site near College Hill.
The old church was already very old and important by the time of the Domesday Book. This was a big survey of England made in 1086. The church owned a lot of land in Shrewsbury and other areas.
Old Welsh stories suggest that the bishops of Lichfield might have taken over a Celtic church in Shrewsbury. One story says that Brochwel Ysgithrog, a prince of Powys, gave his land for religious use. Another story says his son, Tysilio, founded the church.
Around the 8th century, King Offa is said to have turned the old palace of the Powys kings into the first church. This church had a dean, ten canons, and two vicars. These were all types of clergy who worked together.
There's a hidden underground room, or crypt, on the old church site. It was dug up in 1889. Experts at the time said it was "undoubtedly Saxon." This means it was built a very long time ago, possibly in the 9th century. Today, only a small part of the old church remains. It is a side chapel with an old churchyard.
In 1394, a "Great Fire of Shrewsbury" destroyed the St Chad's Church building. The damage was so bad that King Richard II stopped the town from paying taxes for three years to help with repairs.
In 1407, a priest named William Thorpe spoke at St Chad's Church. He disagreed with some important ideas of the Catholic Church. Because of this, Thorpe was put in prison. We don't know what happened to him after that.
King Henry VII visited Shrewsbury in 1490. He celebrated a special feast day at St Chad's Church. His queen and Prince Arthur were with him. They had a grand procession from the Guild Hall to the church.
Later, the college connected to the church was closed down. This happened during a time called the Dissolution.
In 1581, Sir Henry Sidney held a very grand celebration at the old St Chad's Church. The church choir was decorated to look like St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. This chapel is famous for the Knights of the Garter.
The old church had a monument to John Weaver. He is known as the father of English ballet and pantomime. It also had ten bells that could ring a tune. The churchyard outside had become very high. This was because so many people had been buried there over centuries. This made the church building damp.
A beautiful stained glass window, called the Jesse Window, was once in Old St Chad's. It is now in St. Mary's Church, Shrewsbury. People believe it was originally made for another church in Shrewsbury.
The old church building was mostly destroyed in 1788. Its central tower collapsed. All that remains of this old building today is a side chapel and a disused churchyard. This churchyard also has an exposed crypt, which is an underground room.
The Current Church Building
After the old church collapsed, a Scottish architect named George Steuart was hired. He was asked to design a new church. He suggested four designs, and three of them were round. Round or oval churches were popular for a short time in the late 1700s. This was due to a new style of building called neo-classicism from France.
Steuart really wanted to build a round church. But the local committee wanted a long, rectangular church. They chose a site for the new church in the Quarry. Steuart gave them a sketch of his design. It was a round church, but the committee didn't seem to notice or say anything.
When Steuart gave them the final plans, they were also for a round church. The committee complained. Steuart told them he thought they had approved the round design because they hadn't said anything. He said he needed to be paid for his work before he would draw new plans. By this point, there had been so many arguments and delays. So, the committee decided it was easier to just go ahead with the round design.
.jpg)
The first stone of the new church was laid on March 2, 1790. This was St Chad's day. The church was built using white Grinshill stone. John Simpson supervised the building work. He later worked with Thomas Telford on many projects. One famous project was the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
Inside the church, the upper gallery is held up by thin cast iron pillars. This was an early example of using cast iron in this way. The pillars were made by William Hazledine. He was a pioneer in making iron. He had a factory in Shrewsbury. There are memorials to both Simpson and Hazledine inside the church.
The new church opened on August 19, 1792. Charles Darwin was baptised there on November 15, 1809.
The main window in the sanctuary is a copy of a famous painting by Rubens. It was made in the 1840s by David Evans, a local artist who worked with stained glass. The original pulpit (where the priest speaks) blocked the view of the altar. It was removed in 1888. A new pulpit was put in its place. It was made of copper and brass in the Arts and Crafts style. It was placed to the side, giving a clearer view of the altar.
The entrance hall has many memorials. These remember soldiers from the 53rd Regiment of Foot and the King's Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI). They include tablets for soldiers who died in battles like Sobraon (1846) and the Indian Mutiny (1857–59). There are also memorials for those who died in the Egyptian campaign of 1882 and in Sudan (1885–86).
A large tablet remembers the 4,700 KSLI soldiers who died in the First World War. It was unveiled in 1930. Books of remembrance for KSLI soldiers from both World Wars are also kept here.
In 1913, a small room was turned into a chapel. It was named the Chapel of St Aidan. Later, in 1951, this chapel was made bigger. It became a special chapel for the KSLI regiment.
After the First World War, the main part of the church was updated. A new wooden screen and altar were added. This was done to remember the people from the parish who died in the war.
Churchyard Features
In the churchyard, which is no longer used for burials, you can find a special headstone. It was a prop used in the 1984 film A Christmas Carol. This was for the scene where Ebenezer Scrooge finds his own grave. The headstone has "Ebenezer Scrooge" written on it.
Some people say it's not just a prop. They believe it's a real old headstone where the original writing had faded. The movie makers then asked if they could use it and add Scrooge's name. You can still see some of the original writing at the bottom.
Church Music
Music is a very important part of St Chad's Church. The church has a robed choir. They lead the music during many services.
The church also has a large pipe organ. It has three keyboards. The organ was built in 1904. It has been repaired and updated several times since then. The church often holds lunchtime organ concerts and other musical events.
Notable Clergy
Many important religious leaders have served at St Chad's Church. These include:
- Sir Lovelace Stamer, 3rd Baronet, who was Vicar from 1892 to 1896. He was also the Anglican Bishop of Shrewsbury.
- Charles Bulmer Maude, Vicar from 1896 to 1906. He was also the Archdeacon of Salop.
- William Alonzo Parker, Vicar from 1942 to 1945. He later became the Anglican Bishop of Shrewsbury.
- William Johnston, who was Vicar and later Bishop of Dunwich.
- Robert Willis, who was a Curate from 1972 to 1975. He later became the Dean of Canterbury.
See also
- Grade I listed churches in Shropshire
- Listed buildings in Shrewsbury (northwest central area)
