[Picture: St. Michael’s Church, Castle-foregate]
Stands on a pleasant site in the populous suburb of Castle Foregate. The
western side commands an interesting view of the town. The venerable
Castle with its towers and hoary walls, the Royal Free Grammar School,
and the lofty spires of St. Mary’s and St. Alkmund’s churches, combine to
form a most pleasing group; whilst the fine church of Saint Chad, backed
by distant mountains, stands prominent in the front. On the northern
side of the building is a picturesque dell, along which the majestic
Severn formerly poured its crystal stream.
The church is a respectable building in the Doric style, composed of
brick. It was erected by subscription, and consecrated for divine
worship August 24th, 1830.
In plan, it consists of a tower, nave, side aisles, and an elliptical
recess for the communion, with a vestry in the base of the tower.
The tower is of three divisions, and rises to the height of 70 feet; the
basement is square, on which rests an octagonal belfry, crowned by a
similar division of smaller dimensions, having a cornice charged with
lions’ heads, the whole being surmounted by an angular lead roof and a
gilded cross.
The body of the church is in length 70 ft. 6 in. and in breadth 40 ft. 6
in. and has a stone plinth, cornice, and parapet. The windows throughout
are circular-headed, having unbroken stone dressings surrounding them.
THE INTERIOR is approached by two entrances, north and south, beneath a
stone cornice sustained on pilasters; and, if not splendid in decoration,
it has that solemnity which becometh the House of God: it possesses,
however, one great advantage, in being capable of comfortably
accommodating a congregation of 800 persons, 620 of whom may possess free
sittings. On the floor are thirty-six pews, the other part being
entirely free. There are galleries over the north and south aisles, and
at the western end, the whole of which are free sittings. These
galleries are sustained on cast-iron columns, which are also continued
for the support of the roof.
The ceiling has a good effect, being panelled in large square
compartments, and beautifully painted in imitation of oak. The pulpit
and reading desk are octagonal, and are placed on opposite sides of the
church.
The eastern end is finished by three panels, inscribed with the
Decalogue, &c. Three windows of splendid stained glass decorate the
chancel. The subject of the centre one is the NATIVITY, from the
celebrated “La Notte” of Correggio, and is a most masterly production of
the art of glass-staining, especially in the management of light suitable
to the time and scene of the subject. Underneath is the inscription in
Roman capitals—“AND THEY CAME WITH HASTE, AND FOUND MARY, AND JOSEPH, AND
THE BABE LYING IN A MANGER.”
The windows on each side of the above are designed from the ANNUNCIATION,
and the PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE, the former from a painting by Guido
in the chapel of the palace on the Monte Cavallo of Rome. The angel, a
beautiful figure arrayed in yellow drapery tastefully displayed, is in
the act of presenting to the virgin a lily, while his attitude and
countenance seem to bespeak the emphatic words of the motto inscribed
beneath—“HAIL! THOU THAT ART HIGHLY FAVOURED AMONG WOMEN; THE LORD IS
WITH THEE.” The other is from the celebrated picture at Antwerp, by
Rubens, and founded on the words of holy Simeon—“LORD, NOW LETTEST THOU
THY SERVANT DEPART IN PEACE: ACCORDING TO THY WORD.”
These windows, perfect gems of the art, were executed by Mr. David Evans,
of Shrewsbury, and were the gift of the Rev. W. G. Rowland, M.A. Minister
and Official of St. Mary’s.
There is a small but excellent organ in the west gallery, and the tower
contains a light peal of six bells, cast in 1830. The architect of the
church was Mr. J. Carline; and when it is considered that it was erected
at an expence of little more than £2000, criticism is disarmed in the
substantial appearance which it possesses.
The cemetery surrounding the church is particularly neat; a gravel walk
extends along its sides, and the ground is laid out in divisions for
graves and vaults, which are numbered according to a plan kept with the
sexton.
This church is in St. Mary’s parish, with the minister of which the
presentation is vested.