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Summary

Church. C14 north arcade with C15 west part; C15 tower, encased 1765; north west annexe, 1826; south aisle, 1845, by W. Evans; east bay of south aisle, chancel, north organ loft and south vestry, 1871, by E.G. Paley.

Monument Type(s):

• CEMETERY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1066 AD to 2050 AD)

Description

Built by Sir Hugh de Bushbury c1200. 1765 tower cased in brick and raised in height. 1799 original chancel pulled down and new one built. {1}. only ancient portions now visible are 2 Early English bays of nave arcade. <2>. evaluation in N of graveyard 1994 following proposal for building new church hall - all trenches contained C18- C19 burials to natural at c2m. Small amount of residual medieval material recovered. Also poss remains of post med bell casting pit. {4}

A watching brief was undertaken by OAU in 1999 during the works for the extensions. Archaeologists were on site monitoring and recording alongside a specialist exhumation team. All recording was on-site, no remains were removed from site before reinterring. A total of 372 burials were excavated, dating to the 18th and 19th century. A variety of burial types were revealed, the majority in shrouds and earthcut graves, or wooden coffins, often with brass or iron fittings. Some individuals were buried within elaborate triple-shell lead and wooden coffins, often within brick-shaft graves or larger brick-built family vaults. In general terms, the sample population appears to have been a healthy one which lived well into old age. Evidence during the 18th century for increasing affluence, in the form of personal memorials and alterations to the church building. More details in published report (9).

List description: Church. C14 north arcade with C15 west part; C15 tower, encased 1765; north west annexe, 1826; south aisle, 1845, by W. Evans; east bay of south aisle, chancel, north organ loft and south vestry, 1871, by E.G. Paley. Ashlar with brick to tower and annexe; tile roofs, with cresting to east parts, coped gables. Chancel has gable cross, 5 light east window with intersecting tracery, hood with headstops, large offset angle buttresses, 2 light north window; gabled organ loft has plaque with Latin inscription giving architect as J. Lavender; chapel has 3 light east window with intersecting tracery and 2 light south window, large offset buttresses; gabled vestry has 2 light window and diagonal buttresses. Gabled 5 bay north aisle of dressed squared stone has C19 lancets with splayed reveals, head of blocked round-headed window; south aisle has 2 light west window with Decorated tracery, 3 cusped lancets with splayed reveals between offset buttresses to south, cornice; east part has later lancets with headstops to hoods, rainwater head dated: 1871. 4 stage tower has ashlar plinth, platt bands, top stage has impost course, cornice and embattled parapet with pinnacles, quoins; pointed entrance with bolection-moulded architrave, oval panel with label mould above records restoration of 1765, roundel to south; large pointed window with ashlar architrave to 2nd stage; 3rd stage has clock face and inscribed panel, quatrefoils to returns; top stage has pointed louvred bell openings with engrailed aprons and ogee hood. Annexe has rusticated quoins, pointed window with leaded glazing, oval panel above has date: 1826; ashlar north elevation.

INTERIOR: arch-braced collar trusses; chancel has arch to organ loft and 3 bay south arcade, niche to north has shelf and arch on enriched corbels, chancel arch on filleted shafts; chapel arch dies into jambs, window to vestry; 5 bay nave arcades on octagonal piers; tower has C15 heavy chamfered beams and joists. Chancel has C19 encaustic tiles copied from Medieval originals found at church, C19 alabaster reredos with mosaic to arcading, chancel rail on wrought-iron grid with scrolled enrichment, similar screen to east bay of chapel arcade, stalls with traceried fronts; chapel has 1897 timber parclose screen with open tracery and brattishing, similar screen to west, reredos with angels to riddel posts; panelled timber pulpit on ashlar base, timber west gallery of 1765, fielded panels on posts with strapwork; C15 octagonal font has roll mouldings on panelled base with squat shaft. Good wall memorials: Eleanor Bradney, d1817, by J. Stephens, relief of Hope; William Pershouse, d1789, panel with concave pediment between urns, flanking drapes, enriched apron; Thomas Bradney, similar to that of Pershouse; John Marsh d1802, by J. Flaxman, relief figure below double cameo; Ann Bache Sedgwick, no date, relief bust in draped frame. Good stained glass throughout, particularly some possibly by Clayton and Bell to south aisle and 1902 grisaille glass to vestry north window.

A church notable for its fine tower and collection of monuments and glass.

(The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Staffordshire: London: 1974-: P.323). (8)

Sources and Further Reading

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