St Mary's Church
The Church consists of a west tower and spire, a nave with aisles, the north widened at the east end to form a chantry chapel, a chancel an the north, and a south porch. There was a major restoration by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1874-5.
The Tower
The tower is 12th to 13th century containing the earliest work now visible in the church. The weight of the stonework above the original Norman arch leading into the nave caused the arch to splay at an early date and a pointed arch was inserted and the sides filled with solid masonry. This was removed in the restoration of 1874 and the inner two arches added. The pointed arch was placed in the west end of the tower. The upper part of the tower is 13th century with pointed windows. The bells were re-cast in 1757 by Rudhale of Gloucester. The treble bell was re-cast in 1925. The clock was made by George Donisthorpe of Birmingham. The font was erected in 1857
The spire was re-tiled and extensively restored in 1993, the architect being John Wheatley. He was able to date the structure accurately because of a type of scissor joint in the timbers which was only used in the late 13th century. The spire had just been placed on the tower without any ties or flashing. As a result the wet had got on on the weather side and it rotted the timbers and caused the soft local stone to crumble. As a result the tower developed a tilt towards the south-west. The twist in the spire was due to the warping of the timbers. The spire is now firmly tied to the tower, but the familiar shape has been preserved. Mr Wheatley has written up the story in Cleobury Chronicles, Vol 2
The
Nave
The
impressive chancel arch is early 13th century but the roofs of both
nave and chancel are about a century later. The line of an earlier nave roof can
be seen above the Tower arch. During the restoration of 1874-5 the whitewashed
flat ceiling in the nave, put there in 1793, was removed, revealing the fine
roof timbers. Another ’improvement’ at this time was the removal of the
unfashionable box pews ‘ of various shapes and heights, chiefly made of deal
panelling’, and a three-decker pulpit. A house at the corner of the Hurst is
panelled with wood said to have come from the pews. When the church was built
there were no fixed seats except the stone bench on either side of the tower
arch – ‘the weakest go to the wall’
The
circular piers are 13th century; those between the nave and the north
aisle being a little later than those to the south. The windows high p on the
south side (the clerestory) appeared to Pevsner to have been cut down
from the 13th century lancets to make them square-headed,
presumably when the roof was renewed in the late 14th century. In
medieval times a large part of the Church was probably plastered and coloured. A
fresco of the Crucifixion over the chancel arch disintegrated when the ceiling
was removed in 1874. The south aisle wall was decorated with what appeared to be
17th century biblical texts painted over the medieval plaster. In
1874 the Commandments, ‘twice painted in different texts’ were noted. The
arches built across the south aisle were Scott’s solution to the problem first
noted by the famous Thomas Telford who, when County Surveyor, was building the
New Bridge, inspected the church in 179 and pronounced it in imminent danger of
falling. Telford built solid masses of red brick up against the south wall to
prevent it collapsing, but this was cleared away during the restoration, as was
the soil that had accumulated to a height of three to four feet above the floor
level.
The
south aisle windows were renewed at the restoration except the 13th
century lancet in the west wall, filled with modern panted glass in memory of
Captain Trow, the leader of the Cleobury detachment in the Boer War, and the
sole local casualty. The window at the east end of the south aisle is dedicated
to Sir Lacon Childe who endowed the school to the east of the churchyard. The
original building dates from 1740. The school, which still bears his name was
moved to Love Lane. There is a medieval stone coffin lying in the north aisle. A
slab built into the west wall of the tower in 1874 is possibly part of the lid.
In the south aisle are two very old parish chests which formerly contained the
parish records
The Chantry Chapel
The
Chantry Chapel dedicated to St.
Nicholas, was endowed by Roger Mortimer IV, the paramour of the wife of Edward
II, and hanged in 1330. Pevsner dates the windows of the chapel and the piers of
the north arcade to not later than c1300. The Chaplain, who was appointed to say
masses for the soul of the founder, has the unique title of Lay Deacon and the
office and its endowment still exist and is normally offered
to the incumbent by the Crown, which now represents the House of Mortimer
Then
wooden altar table has had a chequered history. An Act of Edward VI (1552)
ordered that all stone altars be replaced by ‘a decent wooden table’, placed
lengthways down the chancel. The chantry altar was that table, with legs made
from the destroyed rood screen. When Roman Catholicism was restored in the reign
of Mary, 5 consecration crosses were cut in the table (at each corner and the
centre front). When Protestantism was restored (possibly under Cromwell) the
crosses were removed and the spaces filled in.
At
some time the table was moved from the chancel to the chantry.
There
is a piscina in the east wall.
The
Chancel
The Chancel
has a small 14th century two-light window on the north side. The east
window is of a late 13th century
pattern, renewed, according to Pevsner, although not by Scott, to judge by Mrs
Childe’s diary of the restoration. The glass was inserted in 1875 by the vicar
and Mrs Childe, as a thanksgiving for the completion of the restoration. It
depicts the vision of Piers Plowman. A full explanation of the window can be
found on the guide paddles at the back of the church. It was designed by
Burrowes and made by Powell of Whitefriars, London. At the same time the altar
was raised by three steps and tiling placed behind it.
The
vestry on the north side of the chancel is 15th century but
unfortunately was raised in 1875 to accommodate the organ . The organ 9fig.6.)
was built by Nicholson of Worcester in 1845. Fixed to the wall is a large table
of charities which are administered to this day, although now converted to money
payments. In the south wall is a hagioscope (leper’s squint).This, of course,
was originally an outside wall. Just by the vestry door, on the north wall of
the chancel is a bronze of the Last Supper. This was bought from Abraham
Darby’s works at Coalbrookdale for 30 shillings (£1.50!!)
The
Porch
The
Porch is a notable example of Early English
work (13th century) a period not well represented in Shropshire) The
south door dates from the 1875 restoration. The stoup to the right of the door
was found in a garden and is probably 14th century. Fixed to the wall is aboard
commemorating William Langland, the author of ‘The Vision of Piers Plowman’,
who lived from about 1332 tom1400. He probably was born locally and served his
noviciate at the Woodhouse Augustinian Friary near Hopton Wafers, Some scholars
maintain that he was born at Malvern, though we claim reason to doubt this
claim.
Vicars
of Cleobury from 1320
1320
John Dictus Scheremon of Ludlow
1348
Richard
1349
Sir William de Curdewall*
1362
Roger Mey
1366
William Hunte
1371
Alan de las Vise
1399
Sir Hugh Cheyney
1407
Sir William de Egginton
1418
Richard Wellington
1425
Sir John Syllygrove
1431
Sir William Whytehere
1442
Sir John Lowe
1442
William Langwys
1462
John Sandy
1479
Sir John Tayour*
1524
William Bradok
1551
Sir Edward Troye*
1572
William Tayler, B.A.
1587
William Marston
1625
John Barker
1648
John Malden
1656
Robert Goodwin
1691
William Edwards
1738
John Attwood
1769
Edward Harries
1779
Edward Northey
1800
George Moultrie, M.A.*
1845
George Murray
1846
Edward Childe, M.A.*
1892
George Wheeler, M.A.
1897
Samual Frederick Auchmuty, A.K.C*
1917
Percy Malden, B.A.*
(Rural
Dean of Stottesdon 1932-38)
1939
Leigh Simpson, M.A.*
(Rural
Dean of Stottesdon 1941)
1946
Ronald Manford, M.A.*
1951
Leslie Perfect, M.A.*
1960
John Ashton, T.D.*
1966
Colin M. Oldroyd, M.A.*
(Rural
Dean of Ludlow 1977)
1979
Robert A. Horsfield, M.A.*
(Rural
Dean of Ludlow 1988)
2001
J.Andrew C. Sewell
2003
W.Ashley Buck, M.A.
*
Chaplains of the Perpetual Chantry of St. Nicholas in the Church of St Mary the
Virgin, Cleobury Mortimer, founded by Roger, son of Ed. de Mortimer. The first
Layman appointed to this office by the Crown was, apparently,
one John Cooke in 1596. Hence, perhaps, the present curious title ‘Lay
Deacon’