Smethwick Old Church

SANDWELL MB CHURCH ROAD/THE UPLANDS SP 08 NW Smethwick 9/59 Smethwick Old Church (formerly listed as Smethwick Chapel) 21.3.49 GV II*

Church. Consecrated 1732, partly rebuilt in 1963. Brick in Flemish bond with slate roof. Comprises a west tower, nave, narrow chancel, and north- east vestry rebuilt in 1963. The four-bay nave has chamfered quoins, a cornice which continues around the tower, and a brick parapet. The windows have stone surrounds with round heads, keystones, and impost blocks. The tower parapet, above a cornice, is swept upwards at the corners. The bell openings are louvred and have surrounds similar to those of the nave windows. Attached to each is an iron clock face. Below is a band, and below that a blind round opening. The west doorway has an outer round brick arch and an inner stone surround with round head. The chancel has a square east end, and convex walls joining it to the nave. The east wall has a segmental pediment above the cornice, and a window similar to those of the nave. To each side of the chancel, in the east wall of the nave, there is a doorway with a round window above, under a brick arch. The left-hand doorway is now blocked, and the right-hand one is covered by the C20 vestry. Interior: west gallery, added in 1759, has timber front carried on two fluted timber Doric antae. Walls have dentilled cornice, with bays separated by a giant order. The round chancel arch is flanked by pilasters. Wall tablets include one on the north respond of the chancel arch to John Hinckley, died 1740, and one on the south respond to Dorothy Parkes, died 1727. History: Dorothy Parkes of Birmingham left money to build a chapel on her lands in Smethwick. It was asigned a district in 1842 and has no dedication. (VCH, pp 123 & 124).

Listing NGR: SP0200187646