Church Of St Chad

The Church of St Chad, located on St Chad’s Terrace in Shrewsbury, was built between 1790 and 1792. It was designed by George Steuart of London. The church is constructed of ashlar stone over a rusticated basement, with lead roofs. It comprises a west tower, an elliptical stair hall, and a circular nave with a shallow projecting chancel recess.

The base of the tower is square, transitioning to an octagonal upper section. This section features paired Doric pilasters on each facet, supporting a cupola on free-standing Composite columns, culminating in a tall, domed roof and a cross. An Ionic eastern portico provides access via tall arched doors, with a date stone indicating 1790. An elliptical stair hall and circular nave are articulated by paired Doric pilasters on either side of round-arched windows. A parapet incorporates alternating solid and balustraded sections, and square windows are found in the lower wall.

The interior includes a circular ante-chamber leading to a side chapel furnished as a war memorial. An oval inner stair hall features a cantilevered stone staircase with a cast-iron balustrade, leading to galleries on the north and south sides. The main body of the church is circular, with wedges of original pews. A gallery is supported by cast-iron cylindrical Ionic shafts raised on high bases, with a second tier of fluted Composite shafts above connecting to a plaster cornice. The plasterwork ceiling displays foliate decoration around a radial design incorporating putti in clouds. A Palladian arch with fluted Composite shafts leads to the shallow chancel recess, which contains an ornate gilded altar piece and low reliefs flanking a crucifix.

The east window contains painted glass depicting the Deposition from the Cross, and windows on either side of the organ, to the west, are similarly styled, executed by David Evans and copied from paintings. Additional armorial stained glass is present on the north side. Glass in the stair hall window is by Hardman. Memorials include marble stones, hatchments, and a bust by Chantrey from 1815. A copper and brass pulpit, dating from around 1890, is on a quatrefoil plan and features symbols of the Evangelists on each panel. The stair hall and ante-chamber walls are lined with marble memorial stones.