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Summary

The medieval church was almost totally destoyed by fire in 1950. Of what remains the west tower is Perpendicular and, the vaulted south porch by A.E Street, 1882-3. The church was rebuilt by Bernard Miller in a strikingly unorthodox adaptation of Gothic style. It was re-dedicated in 1955 as St Michael and All Angels.

Monument Type(s):

• CHURCH (Saxon to Modern - 410 AD to 2050 AD)

Description

The medieval church was almost totally destoyed by fire in 1950. Of what remains the west tower is Perpendicular and, the vaulted south porch by A.E Street, 1882-3. The church was rebuilt by Bernard Miller in a strikingly unorthodox adaptation of Gothic style. It was re-dedicated in 1955 as St Michael and All Angels. (1) (2) (3)

Description of 1930: 'present building retains Norman pier and capital at either end of north arcade, otherwise both arcades are Early English, with Perpendicular Clerestory. North aisle is Decorated as is tower. Round arch opening from chancel into Wrottesley chapel on north is Transitional, but remainder of arcades are very late Early English c1270. (4)

Later status of church as Royal Free Chapel suggests presence of Early Saxon Minster. Assumed, that Norman church stood on site of earlier Saxon minster. (5) (6)

Sketch of church from churchyard C18. (7)

1842 - in course of repairs, workmen discovered wall paintings, supposedly scripture texts in Old English characters. Nearly all scraped off. (8)

Part of tower retains its original Norman Work. Walls around modern churchyard and some outhouses to north of church are constructed in part from stone, presumably from Medieval church. Description and illustration of ancient coffer. (9)

CHURCH: C15 west tower; south porch, 1882-3, by G. E. Street; nave, chancel and vestry rebuilt after fire of 1950 in 1952-5, to the designs of Bernard Miller...(10)

Other refs (11) (12) (13)

Evaluation in 1994 in advance of a proposed extension (3 trenches of 2m length) identified 29 burials, likely dated to 1700 onwards. (14)

<1> Pevsner Nikolaus, 1974, Buildings of England: Staffordshire, 325 (Bibliographic reference). SBL5243.

<2> Jeavons S, 1960, Staffs Church Interiors, 2; 7 (Bibliographic reference). SBL5454.

<3> OS Card (Bibliographic reference). SBL5615.

<4> Masefield, Charles, revised by R L P Jowitt, 1930, Staffordshire, 232 (Bibliographic reference). SBL5154.

<5> Oxford Archaeological Unit, 1993, Tettenhall: An Archaeological Survey, 2 (Bibliographic reference). SBL2764.

<6> Shaw, Stebbing, 1801, The History and Antiquities of Staffordshire, 195-8 (Bibliographic reference). SBL5321.

<7> 1796, English Topography, 2; 633 (Bibliographic reference). SBL3337.

<8> 1842, English Topography, 2; 199 (Bibliographic reference). SBL3338.

<9> Palmer F; Crowgill A, 1846, Wanderings of a Pen and Pencil (Bibliographic reference). SBL3357.

<10> Department of Culture Media and Sport, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, Amendment 29.1.01 (DoE Statutory List). SBL6850.

<11> Greenslade M W (ed), 1970, Victoria County History: Staffordshire Vol 3, 3; 315-21 (Bibliographic reference). SBL5460.

<12> Oxford Archaeological Unit, 1993, Tettenhall: An Archaeological Survey (Bibliographic reference). SBL2764.

<13> Jeavons S, 1963, Pattern of Ecclesiastical Buiding In Staffs, 4; 5 (Bibliographic reference). SBL1616.

<14> Mould C, 1994, St Michael and All Angels Tettenhall: An archaeological evaluation (Bibliographic reference). SBL7694.

Sources and Further Reading

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