presents a majestic appearance of solemnity, calculated to raise devout
and profound veneration towards that ALMIGHTY BEING to whose service and
honour the edifice is dedicated, as well as to enchain the attention to
the scriptural motto inscribed upon the north portal—“REVERENCE MY
SANCTUARY.”
The nave is separated from the side aisles by five arches: two, which on
each side join the tower, are in the pure style of the 14th century, and
delicately lined with deep mouldings resting on clustered columns, and
exhibit very distinctly the taste which prevailed in engrafting the more
elegant pointed upon the massy Anglo-Norman style; the former, it will be
clearly seen, have been formed out of the original semi-circular arches,
similar to the three eastward, which rest on short thick round pillars
(16½ feet in circumference) of the plainest Norman character. Above
these is a story of smaller arches in the same style, now filled up, but
which evidently shew that it was the intention of the monastery to
assimilate them to the style adopted in the side windows of the tower and
western portion of the nave: the alteration, however, was not completed.
The pointed arch opposite the north porch is partly filled by a skreen,
the remnant of a small chantry chapel which formerly occupied this
portion of the church. This skreen is adorned with a series of foliated
niches once enriched with sculpture.
The ceiling of the church is painted in imitation of an oak ribbed roof,
ornamented with flowers, the intersections of the ribs being finished
with bosses, and the interstices with quatrefoils. A lofty beautiful
pointed arch, 52 feet high, springing from richly moulded imposts divides
the tower from the nave, by which the whole front of the great western
window is displayed. This window is filled with a series of armorial
bearings in stained glass, restored in 1814 at the expence and under the
direction of the Rev. W. G. Rowland, M.A. from a drawing in the Heralds’
College.
_First row_: 1. Beauchamp; 2. Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester; 3.
King Richard the Second; 4. John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster; 5. Edmund
of Langley, Duke of York; 6. Stafford.
_Second row_: 7. Audley; 8. Clare; 9. B. a lion rampant O. (the arms of
the monastery); 10. Barry of twelve, A. and S.
_Third row_: 11. Mortimer Earl of March; 12. Fitzalan and Warren.
_Fourth row_: 13. Montague; 14. Boteler of Wem; 15. Ufford Earl of
Suffolk; 16. B. on a bend A. three escallops S.
_Fifth row_: 17. Warren Earl of Surrey; 18, 19, 20. B. a lion rampant
within a bordure O. (probably intended for the three Norman Earls of
Shrewsbury); 21. Blundeville Earl of Chester; 22. Sir Philip de Burnell.
_Sixth row_: 23. England and France quarterly; 24. John of Hainault; 25.
Strange of Blackmere; 26. Strange of Knockin; 27. Lisle; 28. Mortimer
Earl of March; 29. Arundel and Warren; 30. France semée and England; 31.
Arundel and Maltravers; 32. Corbet; 33. Albini; 34. Latimer; 35. Roger de
Montgomery; 36. Sir Simon de Burley impaling Stafford; which last
bearings will probably fix the date when the original window was put up,
viz. about the 12th of King Richard the Second.
The whole extent of the tower is occupied by a spacious gallery, in which
is an excellent organ made by Gray, of London, and erected in 1806 at a
cost of 365 guineas. The front of the gallery is a gothic skreen of
three arches, divided by buttresses, and displays the armorial bearings
of the principal benefactors to the organ.
The eastern window contains six resplendent figures in stained glass,
executed by Mr. David Evans, of Shrewsbury, viz. ST. JAMES, KING DAVID,
ST. JOHN, KING SOLOMON (as in the act of consecrating the Temple), ST.
PETER, and ST. PAUL, with their respective emblems. The figures were
placed in rich tracery work in 1836, but the window was originally set up
in 1820, with the following inscription:—AEDI . SANCTAE . CRUCIS . Post .
Annos . Viginti . Septem . In . SACRIS . EJUS . Administrandis . Impensos
. Dono . Dedit . Gvlielmvs . Gorsvch . Rowland . anno . salvtis .
MDCCCXX.
Below this window is a series of highly-enriched Norman arches, forming
the altar skreen, erected from a design by Mr. Carline, and at the
expense of the Rev. Richard Scott, B. D. which has given a most imposing
feature to this part of the church.
The north-east window was the gift of the late Lord Berwick, and
previously to the year 1820 stood over the altar. In the centre
compartment is a large figure of St. Peter, and the remainder of the
window is occupied by the arms of the See of Lichfield, those of the
munificent donor, and thirteen escutcheons of the incumbents from the
Reformation to 1804. A rich border lines the mullions, and at the bottom
is inscribed—MVNIFICENTIA • VIRI • PRAENOBILIS • THOMAE • NOEL • BARONIS
• BERWICK • DE • ATTINGHAM • HVJVS • ECCLESIAE • PATRONI • ANNO • SALVTIS
• MDCCCVI.
Small windows divided by a single mullion are placed in the eastern
arches of the side aisles (which formerly opened with the transepts);
that on the north side has the arms of Mortimer, Fitzalan, Talbot, and
Berkeley, in stained glass. The corresponding window of the south aisle
has three ancient shields (originally in the great chamber of the abbey)
bearing the arms of France and England, Roger de Montgomery, and the
symbols of the Patron Saints, the key and sword, in saltire.
In the south aisle is a beautiful mosaic window of stained glass, by Mr.
D. Evans, containing twelve shields of the armorial bearings of families
connected with the late Rev. John Rocke. Underneath is inscribed—MAJORVM
SVORVM INSIGNIA DEPINGI CURAVIT JOHANNES ROCKE, MDCCCXX.
The western portion of the south aisle is walled from the church for a
vestry, near which, on a pavement of emblazoned tiles, stands the Font:
the pedestal is carved with zigzag mouldings, and supports a round basin,
ornamented with chevron work and small arched panels. This originally
belonged to the church at High Ercall.
Another font, found some years since in the adjoining garden, is at the
eastern end of the north aisle. Its basin represents an open flower,
over which is festooned drapery supported from the mouths of grotesque
heads; the pillar on which it is fixed formed the upper part of the
ancient cross which formerly stood opposite the south door of St. Giles’s
church. On the sides are sculptured the Crucifixion, the Visitation, the
Virgin and Child, and a person in the act of devotion.
Length of the church from east to west 123 feet, breadth (including
aisles) 63 feet; the tower is 104 feet in height, and contains a fine
mellow peal of eight bells.