Church Of St Peter

CHURCH OF ST PETER, MELVERLEY

Parish church, probably dating from the late 15th century with a 16th-century porch and bellcote of circa 1718. The building was restored in 1878 and again in 1924–25.

The church is timber framed with rendered lathe and plaster infill on a rubblestone plinth (replaced with 19th-century brick to the east end). It has a machine tile roof with ornamental cresting. The plan comprises a rectangular nave and chancel in one, with a west bellcote and south porch.

The timber framing features close-set thick vertical posts with a middle rail on the north, south and west sides, cambered tie beams to the gable ends. The east end is more heavily renewed, with two middle rails and slightly curving diagonal bracing. The porch is similar in its close-set posts, slightly later in date, and has an outer tie beam with raking struts to principal rafters and wall posts. The formerly weatherboarded bellcote has two square panels to each face and louvred openings below the eaves of a broached slate spire.

Windows include a restored moulded leaded mullioned and transomed window of 4 lights immediately east of the porch, possibly from the 17th century, and a similar leaded mullioned window of 2 lights to the far right dating from the 19th century. The east window of 1878 has 5 cusped lights and a projecting moulded cill. A small 2-light leaded mullion window is inserted in the middle rail at the centre of the north side. The west wall has 2 small 19th-century leaded mullion windows on the ground floor and two 3-light leaded mullion windows in the space between tie beam and collar. A segmental-headed south doorway has mortices to the underside of a reused lintel, with a massive plank door bearing 2 raised ledges and a huge timber block to the threshold (a continuation of the sole-plate).

Interior

The vestibule or narthex has a red tile floor. Reused late 16th-century square and rectangular oak panelling forms a screen separating it from the main body of the church, inscribed "INRI ANO DONI 1588 C(?)TO / EXDOMOED: THORN" at the bottom. An oak winder staircase in the south-west corner leads to the gallery, erected in 1718 with bulbous turned balusters to the rail and bracing for the bellcote on the tie beam above.

The 15th-century double-purlin roof rises in 4 bays and features slightly cambered collar and tie beam end trusses with V-struts from the west collar and vertical struts to the east. The first trusses from east and west are arch-braced with V-struts from the collars. Massive chamfered wall posts, double purlins and cusped windbraces are visible throughout. The centre truss has a cambered tie beam and collar, the former with raking struts to principal rafters, and vertical struts carried down from the tie beam to form an open screen. A moulded horizontal beam with moulded cambered archway spans the centre, opening left and right with vertical struts and plain plank and muntin dado. The north, south and west walls have long internal diagonal braces, some slightly curved, in front of the exposed timber framing.

An octagonal concave-sided font with lead lining and wooden cover (circa 1718) is probably from the 15th century. A finely carved hexagonal Jacobean pulpit with ornamental base and a contemporary communion table are notable features. A brass chandelier hangs from the collar of the first truss from the east. Early 18th-century open benches with circular ends are found in the gallery and vestibule (one inscribed "M 1716"), though most were altered in the late 19th century. A small room on the north side of the vestibule contains a late 18th-century wall cupboard with H-hinges fixed to the screen.

A painted wooden board commemorates John Peers of Bretchel (died 1778), who "Gave in / his Life time five / Shillings yearly in / Bread upon St John.S / Day To the Poor / of The Parish of / Melverley: Forever." Other monuments of note include a wall memorial to Richard and Margaret Downes erected in 1730 by their son John, and a brass plate in a moulded wooden frame to Edward Lloyd (died 1704), both on the south side. The east window contains stained glass by the Kempe and Tower workshop, inscribed 1928.

Setting

Picturesque situated by the bank of the River Vyrnwy, the Church of St Peter is one of only two timber-framed churches in Shropshire.