Church Of Saint Alkmund

Saint Alkmund's is a parish church built between 1712 and 1713, designed by John Barker (1668–1727) of Rowsley, with mason William Smith of Tettenhall executing the construction. The church was restored in 1877–79 and 1885–86, with further internal alterations in 1894 and 1900–1902, and the porch rebuilt in 1925.

The building is constructed of red sandstone ashlar with some details in grey sandstone ashlar, beneath a slate roof. It comprises a six-bay nave with a three-bay apsidal chancel, south porch, and integral west tower.

Exterior

The nave and chancel feature a moulded plinth, raised quoins, a frieze with half-H panels above the windows, moulded cornice, and a coped parapet set back with balustrading above the windows. The tall round-arched windows have small panes set in cast-iron frames (some replaced with 19th-century stained glass), each surrounded by a sill and half-H panel beneath, pilasters with raised and fielded panels and moulded capitals, and a moulded architrave to the arch with raised keystone. Two windows flank the west tower. Cement-rendered blind oculi appear above the south and north doors, with moulded architraves and raised keystones.

The round-arched south doorway in the western bay consists of a plain architrave with plinths, impost blocks and raised keystone, a pair of oak doors each with ten raised and fielded panels, and a radial oak tympanum with six raised and fielded panels. The semi-circular south porch has two stone steps, three round arches with impost mouldings and raised keystones, and unfluted pilasters between (with uncarved capitals) supporting an entablature and balustrade with square dies. The south doorway beneath the window in the second bay from the east has a pair of oak doors, each with three raised and fielded panels, and a moulded architrave becoming a chamfer in the plinth.

The round-arched north doorway in the western bay consists of a plain architrave with plinths, impost blocks and raised keystone, a pair of oak doors each with eight raised and fielded panels, and a radial oak tympanum with six raised and fielded panels. The door is approached by two flights of red sandstone steps—none to the left and eleven to the right—with square piers and a plain parapet with rounded coping, balustraded to the centre. A boarded door sits beneath the steps. An inscribed sundial with a wrought-iron gnomon is mounted on the wall above and to the left of the south door. Remains of an 18th- or 19th-century painted memorial survive on the apse, featuring fluted pilasters, an open triangular pediment with an urn in the tympanum, and a painted inscription.

The west tower rises in four stages. It has a moulded plinth, corner chamfered quoin strips, a moulded cornice to the first stage, moulded string courses to the slightly set-back upper stages, a cornice to the belfry with half-H panels above the belfry openings and a balustrade with square dies, large urn corner finials with weathervanes, and smaller intermediate finials. The round-arched belfry openings each contain two louvred round-arched lights with the mullion running up into the apex of the main arch, with a moulded architrave with sill, impost blocks and raised keystone. The third stage has paired round-arched niches, each with plain architrave, impost blocks and keystone, and a round-arched small-paned cast-iron window to the east with plain architrave, impost blocks and keystone. Oculi in the second stage each have a plain architrave, raised keystones and radial glazing bars. A tall round-arched small-paned cast-iron first-stage window has a surround consisting of a sill and half-H panel beneath, pilasters with raised and fielded panels and moulded capitals, and a moulded architrave to the arch with raised keystone. A carved stone coat of arms appears in a round-arched recess in the third stage to the south. The clock in the belfry has wooden faces to north and south dated 1977. The tower breaks forward slightly to the west, producing a one-one-one bay rhythm to this front. Square-section lead downpipes are present (the lower sections appear to have been replaced in glass fibre). A stone gutter runs around the body of the church at the base of the walls.

Interior

The interior was refaced in stone between 1900 and 1902. Five-bay Tuscan aisle arcades (with half columns at the ends) have tall pedestals and round arches with moulded architraves and raised keystones. A tall blind tower arch has a moulded architrave and raised keystone. Windows feature a continuous impost band and raised keystones. A moulded cornice to the nave breaks forward over the keystones. The ceiling consists of coving to a rectangular panel with a cable-moulded border and three circular panels within—two to the west with gilded and painted anthemion and palmette enrichment, and one to the east with a pair of gilded winged putto heads. Flat roofs cover the aisles. The nave floors are of stone.

The west doorway (to the vestry) has a pair of large 18th-century doors with ten raised and fielded panels each, and a large wooden doorcase consisting of a moulded architrave with a panel above, fluted columns with acanthus capitals and unfluted Doric pilasters behind, a panelled soffit, frieze, and dentil cornice. Side doorways (to the porch) have pairs of circa 1900 inner doors (18th-century outer doors) with moulded architraves and round relieving arches.

The west gallery sits between the nave columns, resting on a pair of unfluted wooden Doric columns, with a front featuring a frieze, cornice, and raised and fielded bolection-moulded panels. The returns have balustrading, circular newels with globe finials and pendants, and a moulded handrail (probably reworked when the side galleries were demolished). There is raked seating. Central and side doors to the gallery have pairs of eight-panelled doors, stone lintels and round relieving arches.

The apse was redecorated between 1900 and 1902. Four unfluted Corinthian pilasters support sections of entablature and a continuous modillion cornice, with a moulded plinth and painted ceiling with stars and a sun to the front; the soffit to the front has stars in square panels. Windows have lugged and shouldered moulded architraves, blocks above, and marble in the walls beneath. The flooring is black and white marble.

The north and south porches contain pairs of 18th-century oak doors into the nave, each with ten raised and fielded panels. 18th-century semi-circular oak staircases (north and south) with ninety-degree turns at the foot each have a closed moulded string, turned balusters, sweeping moulded handrail and square newel posts with moulded caps and pendants. Balustrading extends to the west windows too. The north porch has a boarded door to the bell-chamber stairs.

Fittings

The church contains fittings dating from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The reredos and altar are in memory of Lieutenant C.F. Dugdale. The painted and gilded wooden altar features carving and an inscription. The reredos has a stone base on large carved brackets, a three-sided framework above with figures on posts, and a central niche. Flanking carved wooden candlesticks bear armorial devices. The altar rails have turned balusters, square dies and a moulded handrail.

Choir stalls of 1885 occupy the eastern bay of the nave, with raised and fielded panels, carved scrollwork and fronts with colonnettes. A 19th-century carved wooden eagle lectern is present. A probably early 20th-century wooden lectern (behind the organ at the time of the survey in November 1986) has a tapered square-section Ionic column. Various carved wooden seats are found throughout.

A profusely carved 19th-century hexagonal wooden pulpit in an 18th-century style has raised and fielded panels, panelled corner pilasters, a square base with scrolled brackets, and a curved flight of steps with an open string, attenuated barley sugar balusters (two per tread), swept handrail and wreathed newel.

The Lady Chapel in the eastern bay of the south aisle is in memory of the Reverend W.H. Egerton. An oak screen has raised and fielded lower panels, obelisks and scrollwork above, and a central shield with flanking strapwork, with an inscription to the frieze. The left-hand side screen consists of square piers with carved capitals and a doorway with architrave, frieze, cornice and gate with turned balusters. A Jacobean communion table has a 19th-century marble top. A 19th-century red sandstone reredos features carved panels and painted inscriptions. A painting of the Last Supper above is attributed to Bonifazio Veronese (1491–1553).

The organ of 1715 occupies the eastern bay of the north aisle, having been removed from the west gallery in 1894. Its sumptuous case has bolection-moulded panels to the base with flanking fluted pilaster strips, a top with much carved pierced scrollwork, a convex centre piece and taller flanking convex outer pieces, all with carved winged putto heads at the base and moulded cornice to the top, with swept pipes between. It is topped by a central carved angel with trumpet and palm frond. The left-hand side has three bolection-moulded raised and fielded panels and carved friezes.

Pews with raised and fielded panels to the ends probably incorporate parts of former box pews removed in 1862. An octagonal red and yellow sandstone font of 1661 sits beneath the gallery, with a step, cable-fluted stem with chamfered base, bowl with fluted underside and carved panels with alternating fleur-de-lys and rose motifs, and a pyramidal wooden cover (said to be of 1713 but appears 17th-century) with strapwork and finial. An 18th-century octagonal marble stem (now in the southern vestibule) has a moulded square base, slender stem and cable-fluted bowl.

A probably early 18th-century iron-bound chest sits at the west end of the north aisle. A pair of 18th-century brass chandeliers hangs in the nave. A table has been formed from the hexagonal tester of the former 18th-century pulpit.

Three 18th-century benefactors' boards are at the top of the southern stairs—two with bolection-moulded architraves and one with a round-arched top and impost mouldings—four benefactors' boards on the west wall above the gallery, and a further eight probable benefactors' boards in the north porch with bolection-moulded frames. A pair of 19th-century Commandment boards hang on the north aisle wall.

The vestry contains 18th-century raised and fielded dado panelling and cupboards. A carved wooden Royal coat of arms with carved surround, medallion of Queen Anne above, and the initials "P.T." on a small shield at the base is displayed. A large painted (probably on wood) royal coat of arms beneath has a frame consisting of panelled pilasters and moulded cornice. A loose carved wooden shield, possibly from an 18th-century monument, is present.

Stained Glass

Some reused old glass appears in the north aisle windows. Three south aisle windows and the apse windows date from 1860, with that in the apse signed by Warrington.

Monuments

A chest tomb in the south wall is to John Talbot, first Earl of Shrewsbury, died 1453, restored in 1874 by Adelaide Countess Brownlow, daughter of the 18th Earl of Shrewsbury. The 15th-century praying effigy shows dogs at the feet. The 19th-century chest and arch feature a chest with moulded plinth and seven quatrefoil panels with a carved motif in the centre, and a moulded arch above with square ball-flower ornament and crocketed ogee hoodmould with finial and carved shield in the tympanum. A tablet to the right of the south door records the burial of the embalmed heart of John Talbot beneath the porch (the present tablet was erected in 1873).

A chest tomb in the north wall is to Sir John Talbot, founder of the grammar school, died 1550. The 16th-century alabaster effigy shows a praying knight. The 19th-century chest and arch feature a chest with three ogee cinquefoil niches and two foiled panels in lozenges, and a four-centred arch springing from pairs of short shafts with pierced cusping and crocketed ogee hoodmould with finial.

A tablet on the west wall beneath the gallery is to Matthew Fowler, died 1683. Drapery held apart by two putti standing on skulls, with a scrolled pediment above, and a base with two scrolled acanthus brackets flanking a winged putto head with skull and crossbones beneath. Further 17th- and 18th-century memorials are present, including a brass plaque on the north wall to Matthew Fowler, died 1677. Reset 18th-century memorial panels are behind the organ. Various 19th-century monuments are displayed. A brass plaque to the left of the south-west door is in memory of Sir Edward German, born in Whitchurch in 1862 and died in London in 1936. A mosaic war memorial hangs on the west wall.

The clock in the tower is by Joyce's, the famous Whitchurch turret clockmakers. Old drawings and a photograph of the church are kept in the vestry.

History

The side galleries (demolished in 1972) were notable in that they appeared structurally unconnected to the columns by running behind them. They were fixed only at one point at the rear of each column (blocked sockets remain visible).

A church is first recorded on this site in 1089. It was the 15th-century tower of the old church that collapsed in 1711, necessitating complete rebuilding. A wooden plaque to the left of the south-west door bears a painted inscription: "The Old / Church fell ye 31 of July.1711 / The Foundation of this Church / was laid the 27 of March.1712 / and Consecrated the 8th of Oct./1713 in the I year of the / Reign of Queen Ann". Smith was contracted to erect the present building to Barker's design, and he was himself sub-contracted to carry out some of the carpentry and joinery.

Saint Alkmund's was the prototype of a number of 18th-century churches. The churches of Saint Modwen, Burton-on-Trent (1719–26) and Saint Giles, Lincoln (circa 1720–24), both by William Smith (1661–1724), clearly display its influence.

The Church of Saint Alkmund stands in a commanding position at the top of the High Street, forming part of an important group.