St Peter's Church, Adderley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, Adderley |
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St Peter's Church, Adderley, from the south
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| OS grid reference | SJ 661 395 |
| Location | Adderley, Shropshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Peter |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Partly active, partly redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 10 February 1959 |
| Architect(s) | Richard Baker |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1801 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone, slate roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Adderley |
| Deanery | Hodnet |
| Archdeaconry | Salop |
| Diocese | Litchfield |
| Province | York |
St Peter's Church is an old and important church located in the village of Adderley, Shropshire, England. It's an Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England. This church is so special that it's listed as a Grade I building, meaning it's of exceptional historical interest.
The church has two main purposes today. The front part, called the nave, and the tower are still used as a local parish church. This part is active for church services. The back parts, known as the chancel and transepts, are looked after by The Churches Conservation Trust. This trust helps to preserve important old churches.
Contents
History of St Peter's Church
The oldest part of St Peter's Church that you can still see today is the north transept. This section was built a long time ago, between 1635 and 1636. It was originally a special chapel for the Needham family, who were important people known as the Viscounts Kilmorey from Shavington.
Another old part of the church is the tower, which was built in 1712. The rest of the church was built later, in 1801, by an architect named Richard Baker. This is the only building we know of that he designed. The chancel, which is the area around the altar, was repaired and improved in 1822.
Around 1970 (though church records say 1956), the inside of the church was divided. This was done so that the nave could continue to be used for regular church services. The other parts of the church were then taken care of by the Churches Conservation Trust to make sure they are preserved for the future.
Church Architecture and Design
Outside the Church
The church is built mostly from yellow-grey sandstone, with some red sandstone in the tower. The roofs are made of slate. The church has a cross-shaped layout. It has a main area called the nave with three sections, a single section for the chancel, and two side sections called transepts. There's also a rounded end, called an apse, at the chancel and the south transept.
The tower has two levels and sits on a strong base. At its corners, you can see Doric pilasters, which are like flat columns. The lower part of the tower has a round-topped doorway. The upper part has openings with louvred slats for the bells. At the very top, there's a decorative moulded edge and a plain wall called a parapet.
The north transept, also known as the Kilmorey chapel, has a battlemented parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall. It also has pointed decorations called crocketed pinnacles at the corners and on the top of the gable (the triangular part of the wall). This section has a large three-light window on the north side and a two-light window on the east. There's also a doorway on the west side with four steps leading up to it.
The rest of the church has a plain parapet. Each gable end has a triangular shape called a pediment, and on the north and south gables, there are small decorative tops called finials. The windows have pointed arches and decorative stone patterns called tracery in a Gothic style. These windows have cast iron frames and tracery in the Perpendicular style, which were made in nearby Coalbrookdale. On the south side of the nave, there are two doors.
Inside the Church
The inside of St Peter's Church is divided into two main areas. At the entrance to the north transept, there is a beautifully carved wooden screen from around 1637. It has columns in the Tuscan style. The screen for the chancel was added in 1908 and features Corinthian columns. It was likely made by C. Hodgson Fowler.
The font, used for baptisms, is large and square. It is designed in the Norman style. It has carvings of rosettes and spiral shapes. There's also a medieval inscription in Latin on it. This inscription translates to: "Here wickedly the first man enjoyed the apple with his wife."
The wooden pulpit, where sermons are given, is shaped like a hexagon and dates from about 1801. On each side of the arch leading to the tower, there are boards with the Ten Commandments written on them. In the vestry, which is a room under the tower, there is a board listing people who have given money or gifts to the church. Above the south doorway, there are tablets with the Lord's Prayer and the Creed.
You can find a fireplace in the west wall of the north transept. The church's stained glass windows feature twelve heraldic panels. These panels show the arms of the Needham family. The oldest memorial in the church is a brass plaque from around 1390. Another brass remembers Sir Robert Needham, who passed away in 1556, and his wife, Agnes, who passed away in 1560. This brass was found to be a 'palimpsest'. This means it was an older brass, probably from 14th-century Flanders, that was cut up and reused by engraving on the back. There are also other memorials dedicated to members of the Needham family.
External Features
In the churchyard, there are two other important structures that are also listed as Grade II buildings. One is a red sandstone sundial from the 18th century. It has a square base, a square pillar, and a cube-shaped top with a wrought iron gnomon (the part that casts the shadow) and a globe on top. Sadly, this sundial was stolen from the church some years ago and has not been found.
The other structure is a mounting block from 1774. This block has four sandstone steps and was used to help people get onto horses or into carriages.
See also
- Grade I listed churches in Shropshire
- Listed buildings in Adderley
- List of churches preserved by The Churches Trust in the English Midlands
- The Churches Conservation Trust: St Peter's Church, Adderley
