Church Of Saint Chad

Church of Saint Chad

This is a parish church built between 1735 and 1738, designed by William Cooper of Shrewsbury. The church was restored and given a new porch in 1884. It is constructed of dressed red sandstone with red and yellow or grey sandstone ashlar dressings, under slate roofs.

The building comprises a three-bay nave with a north porch, a one-bay chancel, and a west tower. The tower rises in three stages. It has a tall chamfered plinth, chamfered offsets, and a battlemented parapet with chamfered coping and weathervane. The belfry openings are round-arched with two lights, each featuring curved Y-tracery and a staff-moulded architrave with impost blocks and keystone. The second stage contains a keyed oculus to the west and round-arched two-light windows to the north and south, each with curved Y-tracery and moulded architrave with impost blocks and keystone. The first stage has small round-arched windows to north and south with leaded glazing and moulded architrave. There is a blocked round-arched west doorway with moulded architrave and keystone. A lean-to was added to the south around 1884, with a chamfered plinth, parapet with moulded stone coping, a chamfered circular window to the west, and a nail-studded boarded door to the south with strap hinges. A clock sits above the second-stage window to the north.

The nave has a high chamfered plinth over a rubblestone sub-plinth, a moulded stone eaves cornice, and parapeted gable ends with stone copings. The left gable has a cross at its apex dating from around 1884. Round-arched two-light windows with curved Y-tracery are set within surrounds consisting of moulded cills, flanking pilasters with raised and fielded panels, and moulded arches with keystones. A small round-arched window was inserted to the right of the north doorway in 1884, with plain architrave, imposts and keystone. The north doorway itself dates from 1884 and has a chamfered round arch with impost mouldings, hoodmould, and a panelled keystone with moulded top and fluted base. It is fitted with a pair of nail-studded boarded doors with strap hinges. The porch added in 1884 has a chamfered plinth and parapeted gable with moulded coping and a cross at its apex. Its entrance features a chamfered round arch with impost mouldings, a raised panelled keystone with moulded top and fluted lower part, and hoodmould. Chamfered circular windows occupy the sides, and there are side benches within. A tablet in the nave wall to the left of the porch commemorates Hannah Williams, who died on 23 July 1820.

The chancel has a chamfered plinth, moulded stone eaves cornice, and a parapeted gable end with moulded coping and a cross at the apex. The east window is round-arched with three lights, surrounded by a moulded cill, flanking pilasters with raised and fielded panels, and a moulded arch with keystone. A 19th-century window inserted to the south has two moulded depressed-arched lights.

The interior contains a five-bay roof of 18th-century date, comprising king-post trusses with cambered tie-beams and pairs of purlins, probably with a 19th-century wall plate with billet ornament. The chancel roof dates from the late 19th century and features trefoil-barrel boarding with a moulded wallplate and ribs. A round chancel arch springs from corbels. A west gallery of one-by-one-by-one bays is supported by two cast-iron columns and has a frieze and cornice above. The gallery front features raised and fielded panels, dies with raised and fielded panels, and a moulded rail. The north door has a chamfered rear arch, and an 18th-century oak door to the tower has six raised and fielded panels.

The fittings include 18th-century raised and fielded oak dado panelling to the nave and chancel, ramped up towards the east, possibly the remains of former box pews. There is a 19th-century reredos with figures. A free-standing oak column, possibly of 18th-century date, stands to the left of the altar. 20th-century oak altar rails with turned balusters and 20th-century oak choir stalls are present. A 19th-century wooden pulpit, lectern and pews are in use. An octagonal painted stone font of probably 19th-century date, with a step and iron-bound wooden cover, occupies its traditional position. A rood, probably 19th-century in date, hangs above the chancel arch. A royal coat of arms, painted on canvas, is displayed under the gallery. The church retains some 19th-century stained glass and encaustic tiles to the sanctuary.

A church is known to have existed on this site during the 13th century. A brief for rebuilding the church, budgeted at £1482, was issued in 1733 to 1734. William Cooper was admitted as a member of the Company of Carpenters, Tylers and Brickmakers of Shrewsbury on 29 June 1727. A stone inscribed with the date 1737 marks the completion of the chancel and lies to the north of the chancel (but is not included in this listing). The 1884 restoration cost £700.

The church stands in an exposed position high above the River Severn. The parents of Charles Darwin are buried in the churchyard.