Worcestershire & Dudley Historic Churches Trust

Introduction

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The Worcestershire and Dudley Historic Churches Trust [WDHCT] seeks to award grants toward the preservation, repair, maintenance, improvement, upkeeep or beautification of any Christian Church within the geographical area of the Diocese of Worcester or the county of Worcestershire. The second objective of the Trust is the education of the public in the history and architecture of churches.

How the Trust can help

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Grants may go towards the large and small scale restoration of historic buildings of all periods including twentieth century, including roof and wall repairs, rewiring or archaeological investigation, as well as the conservation of ancient or more modern features including stained glass, wall paintings and monuments. There are exceptions such as work on organs and bells, which the Trust cannot assist, but in the first instance requests for grants should be discussed with the Secretary, who will advise on whether the project meets the criteria, forward an application form for completion, and explain the Trust’s procedure for making a grant. Further advice on other potential sources of funding is also available.

The Trust has limited funds and is able to make grants generally under £3000 towards projects. These can be of great help in contributing to funds raised on applying for large grants from major funding bodies or make the difference between completing a small project or leaving it on hold. Decisions on grants are made provisionally at the Trust’s quarterly meetings, and confirmed following a satisfactory site visit by a trustee. The grant can normally be held for a maximum of twelve months, and payment will only be made following receipt of an interim architect’s certificate or appropriate invoice.

Lecture on Collegiate Churches

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Collegiate Churches

An illustrated lecture by Paul Jeffery took place at St Mary's Parish Church, Elmley Castle (WR10 3HT) at 7.30pm on Wednesday 21st October.

Proceeds were sent to the Worcestershire & Dudley Historic Churches Trust, the Art Fund (Worcestershire), and St Mary's Church Elmley Castle.

Paul Jeffery is from Hampshire and the author of 'The Collegiate Churches of England and Wales' which was first published in 2004. The book is a fascinating survey of about 150 churches which were at the heart of medieval colleges of priests. Some of these churches such as Beverley Minster or Ottery St Mary are now deservedly celebrated for their fine architecture and furnishings. However, medieval colleges are less well-known as institutions than monasteries, yet several have associations with important historical characters. Many were dissolved in the sixteenth century, but some academic colleges and colleges of vicars survived, as did the famous royal college of St George Windsor. Only one collegiate church is to be found in Worcestershire at St Mary's in Elmley Castle. It is fitting that this lecture to explain the role of these colleges and the unique history and architecture of collegiate churches should have be given in this beautiful medieval church to which a college of priests was attached from 1308 to 1545.

Opening Doors - Discovering Local Churches

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A detail from the Estopp monument in Alfrick Church

These notes are intended as guidelines and suggestions to help with preparing information for visitors. We hope they give some interesting ideas but they are just a starting point. They can be developed over future years as time and resources allow.

~ Begin by asking yourself questions about what interests you about your own church, and what you like to show people is a good means of getting underway. It is helpful to arrange any notes about what to see from a starting point at the entrance or where the information is to be available.

~ Explore what needs some explanation to make clear the basic facts; How old is it? What was added when? What are the functions of the features and spaces?

~ Thinking laterally from the available evidence, and what it says about the building and life in a particular period will make for the most interesting stories. Every church will have more substantial pieces of evidence from particular periods, such as Norman or Georgian, in which case it also becomes important to draw out information on the not so obvious, eg; the earlier Saxon churches on the site, or the pre-Reformation interior, or what is medieval masonry and what is Victorian.

~ The human story is always easy to relate to; What do we know of characters connected to the church from the different periods such as patrons, clergy, or interesting people buried in the church or graveyard? Is there any historical evidence of the role of local people on an everyday basis, such as a schoolroom, choir, bellringing, details from parish registers etc?

Some ideas for a checklist of what to include

Introduction

~ Pointers to the different parts of the building and their functions; nave and chancel as basic, but also tower, porch, vestry etc. Clues as to how the building has evolved, starting at earliest or most obvious part. The listing description (if the church is listed) may help; most of these can be seen on the English Heritage website Images of England at www.imagesofengland.org.uk

~ Dedication

~ Context of church; in village, isolated but with humps and bumps from deserted village, on a country estate, in a Victorian suburb etc

Early church origins and the history of the site

~ Location significance; e.g. near river crossing, crossroads etc

~ Evidence of pre and early Christian use; well or spring, yew trees, circular churchyard, Roman remains, prehistoric finds or remains

~ Saxon church; physical or documentary evidence

Norman Church

~ Architecture; windows, doorways, arches, buttresses, masonry

~ Sculpture; arches, font, carved panels; compare to other examples, may link to Herefordshire School of Sculpture

~ Place in village; link to manor house, castle, Norman Marcher Lords, historical evidence

Medieval church

~ Architecture; windows, doorways, arches, tower, porch, roofs; material stone or timber

~ Furnishings and evidence of medieval worship; screen, pews, pulpit, lectern, chest, chantry chapel, churchyard cross, font, stoup, stained glass, wall paintings, floor tiles, plate, bells, anything in archives e.g; psalter

~ Memorials; link to wealthy influential people. Stone or brass?

Reformation, Civil War and after

~ Adapting the medieval building for different worship style; furnishings, pupit, lectern, pews, communion rail, communion table, plain walls and painted inscriptions, plain glass, galleries, musical instruments

~ Evidence of worship and life; bells, plate, bible, registers and other documentary evidence of people including recusancy and non conformity, poor relief, clock

~ Civil War damage, new building or repairs, use of brick

~ Memorials; inscriptions, links to people and places

Victorian

~ Restoration or rebuilding; Gothic Revival or Arts and Crafts style, materials used, architect and builder

~ Furnishings and evidence of worship; layout, font, pulpit, lectern, screen, altar, organ

~ Decoration; stained glass, tiles; known designers

~ Memorials; personalities, evidence clergy, trades and professions from inscriptions, longevity or infant mortality, churchyard

~ Benefactors; local landowners or industrialists

~ Village life and church setting; church school, vicarage, almshouses etc

Present Day

~ Current use; worship, community use, adapting for modern needs; disabled access, WCs, heating

~ Evidence of worship; Modern furnishings, layout, new artworks, eg Millenium

~ Modern buildings; ecumenical use

~ Memorials; more recent personalities

~ Preservation, conservation and restoration

Where to find further information....

Archaeology;

Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology Service can provide soom tools and pointers.

1. Apply by 1st August for a 100m search of the Historic Environment Record around your church. the information will be provided as a print out of the known archaeological finds and a series of maps, including the first edition of the Ordnance Survey map. These can be incorporated into an exhibition (subject to copyright).

2. Staff at the Service will be pleased to discuss the findings with you, perhaps with a site visit.

3. Suggest that parishioners collect together any local finds of artefacts that they think might be of historic interest and staff will try to identify them - a small piece of broken pottery may open up a whole new chapter in the history of the parish.

Contact the Historic Environment Record, Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology Service, Woodbury, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove, Worcester, WR2 6AJ. tel; 01905 855494, email; matkin@worcestershire.gov.uk

Dudley Historic Environment Record for archaeology in Dudley. Contact the Historic Environment Team, Development and Environmental Protection, Directorate of the Urban Environment, 3 St James Road, Dudley, DY1 1HZ. Tel; 01384 814190, www.dudley.gov.uk

History

Worcestershire Library and History Centre has a wealth of reference books on Worcestershire, as well as photographs, local maps, directories and newspapers to look up further information on your church and parish. There is also access to historic material such as parish registers and church documents for more detailed research. Contact the Worcestershire Library and History Centre, Trinity Street, Worcester, WR1 2PW; tel; 01905 765922 email; WLHC@worcestershire.gov.uk

Dudley Archive and Local History Service, at Mount Pleasant Street, Coseley, WV14 9JR. Tel 01384 812770, www.dudley.gov.uk for historical material relating to places within Dudley borough.

For an initial idea of what may be available, a look at the website designed to give a national index to archives, Access to Archives at www.a2a.org.uk might give some interesting documents, but is worth revisiting regularly as more material is entered onto the database.

Books and References;

~ Old guidebooks and local history or photographic books on the church and parish, village or town, but beware of inaccuracies which can be perpetuated. there may be lots of new interesting facts not recorded in these sources but which can be uncovered using the resources above.

~ Local history groups are worth talking to as they may have done much of the groundwork already, and be able to offer useful pointers on what else to look at saving time and resources. Many local groups have interesting websites.

~ Victoria County History volumes on Worcestershire and Staffordshire, now also available online at www.british-history.ac.uk

~ Books on churches such as Tim Bridges Churches of Worcestershire, Mike Salter Parish Churches of Worcestershire

~ Books on County History and buildings; Pevsner's Buildings of England volumes on Worcestershire and Staffordshire, Arthur Mee's King's England series volumes on Worcestershire and Staffordshire.

~ General church books eg; Richard Taylor How to read a Church or Stephen Friar A Companion to the English Parish Church

Tim Bridges

March 2007

Introduction

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Welcome to the Church Pictures archive. If the church you are looking for does not appear as you scroll down the page, please use the SEARCH BLOG box at the top left of the page. Alternatively, click on 'older posts' at the bottom of each page until you reach the church you are searching for.

Not every church is represented here, and those without a denomination specified in the caption, are Anglican buildings. Pictures of the churches in the City of Worcester will shortly be posted to this website.

These images are for private research only and may not be published in any form.

Useful links

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Victoria County History for Worcestershire
Follow links to the Online Victoria County History for Worcestershire. The VCH includes the history (and often pictures) of churches in each parish.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/

Worcestershire History Centre
Although The History Centre is aimed at family historians, there are also sources available for some local history research. The History Centre holds microfilm and microfiche copies of Worcestershire records and sometimes for surrounding counties as well as some national records. Selected sources relevant to church history include:
Local maps
Trade and clerical directories
Local newspapers.
Parish and non-conformist records
Wills and other probate records
Cemetery and crematoria records
The Worcestershire Photographic Survey
http://worcestershire.whub.org.uk/home/wcc-records-history-centre

Worcestershire County Record Office (WCRO) – County Hall Branch
This is where original records are to be found, where parochial papers can be accessed, and where all the material held by the WCRO as the Diocesan Record Office, is kept.
http://worcestershire.whub.org.uk/home/wcc-records-head-quarters

Burney Drawings
A superb online picture gallery of the pen and ink drawings of eighteenth century artists E. F. & T. F. Burney, which includes many pictures of Worcestershire churches.
http://worcestershire.whub.org.uk/home/wccindex/wcc-records/wcc-records-burney-watercolours.htm

Church Plans Online
The Incorporated Church Building Society was founded in 1818 to provide funds for the building and enlargement of Anglican churches throughout England and Wales. It was the principal voluntary Society for promoting the building and restoration of churches throughout the most active period of church building since the Middle Ages. The ICBS archive was deposited in Lambeth Palace Library between 1974 and 1990.

The archive includes over 15,000 files relating to applications by parishes for grants from the Society. Some 12,300 plans are included in these files which, in some instances, are the only surviving evidence for the layout of the church before restoration. Where the church has since been demolished, it may be the only extant plan.
http://www.churchplansonline.org/

National Monuments Record
The National Monuments Record (NMR) is the public archive of English Heritage. In the archive they hold over 10 million historic photographs, architectural and archaeological reports, plans and other items related to the historic environment of England. The NMR staff can help people interested in their local history, or those with a more general interest in the history of England.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.1530

National Churches Trust
http://www.historicchurches.org.uk/

The Chapels Society
seeks to foster public interest in and knowledge of the architectural and historical importance of all places of worship and their related structures in the United Kingdom, loosely described as Nonconformist.
http://www.britarch.ac.uk/chapelsoc/

The Ecclesiological Society
A website which includes a very useful list of organisations relating to church buildings
http://www.ecclsoc.org/organisations.html

Request.org.uk
An educational website aimed at key stages 2,3 and 4 (14+), but full of interesting information about church buildings of all denominations.
http://www.request.org.uk/main/churches/churches.htm

Building Conservation
A website published by © Cathedral Communications Limited. Most of the articles on this website are reproduced from past editions of The Building Conservation Directory and Historic Churches
http://www.buildingconservation.com/index.htm

Building History
This site provides an overview of sources for all types of ecclesiastical buildings
http://www.building-history.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Church/

Parish Mouse
This site contains transcriptions of a number of parish registers, historical books and directories. All the transcriptions have been made from the original books. Many parishes also have a photo album of the church and graves; Worcestershire is particularly well covered.
http://www.parishmouse.co.uk/worcestershire

Church Tours in 2012

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Coach Tour of Herefordshire Churches

23 August: Led by Tim Bridges

Walking Tour of Bromsgrove Churches

21 October: Led by Tim Bridges and Annette Leech

Details and booking for both tours via Steve and Carol Dowling 01905 350156 or dowling43@sky.com .

Become a Friend (and/or make a donation)

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The area covered by the WDHCT boasts over 300 beautiful historic churches which are not only at the heart of their community, but are, in addition, a treasure trove, preserving the history and heritage of that community. They also have a wider importance to the development of the nation; they are part of the fabric of England and must no be allowed to decay and deteriorate. Today, many congregations cannot afford the upkeep of these lovely buildings and the responsibility must be shared by those who believe that our churches encapsulate our heritage.

The Worcestershire and Dudley Historic Churches Trust is dedicated to preserving these important buildings and we need your help to continue our vital work.

We would like to invite you to become a Friend of the Trust. This is a simple and effective way of supporting our work and in return we'll keep you informed about our achievements, and invite you to join our tours and social gatherings.

If you would like an application form/bankers order form please email: wdhct[at]yahoo.co.uk (replacing [at] with the @ symbol) and we will send you one [please state whether you would like it in pdf form or sent by post]

Our churches are too important to our history and heritage to be allowed to slip into decline. Please help us in our work to preserve these beautiful buildings for today and for future generations.

WDHCT Patrons, Trustees and Constitution

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WORCESTERSHIRE & DUDLEY HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST

Patrons

Mr. Michael Brinton, Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire

Lord Sandys, DL. Mr. John Berkeley, DL.

The Right Reverend Dr. John Inge, Bishop of Worcester

The Most Reverend Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham

The Right Reverend David Walker, Bishop of Dudley

The Reverend John Howard,

Chair of the Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury Methodist District

The Reverend William H. Anderson,

Chair of the Birmingham Methodist District

Mr. Michael J. Wall

Trustees

Chairman

Tim Bridges

Secretary

John Davies

Treasurer

Jean Crabbe

John Bailey, M.B.E. Richard J. Slawson

John Colley Michael Thomas (10/11/2010)

Richard Foot (to 18/08/2010) Michael J. Wall (to 18/08/2010)

Andrew Grant, DL. Sam Driver White

Annette Leech

Officers

Cycle Ride Event Organisers

John Colley Helen Peberdy

Hon. Publicity/Fundraising Officer

Stephen Dowling

Bankers:

Lloyds TSB Bank plc Malvern
Barclays Bank plc Droitwich (Cycle Ride Account)

Independent Examiner: R T Barnes Worcester

Constitution: Trust Deed Dated 21 October 1993 as amended by a Deed of Variation Dated 23d November 2005

Objects:
1. The preservation repair maintenance improvement upkeep or beautification of any Christian church within either the Church of England Diocese of Worcester or the County of Worcester.

2. The Education of the public in the history and architecture of churches.

Trustees:
New Trustees are appointed by the serving Trustees. The total number of Trustees shall not exceed eleven. There is a sub Committee for the running of the Cycle Ride that has one member who is not a Trustee. There is also a sub Committee for the arrangement of events. Decisions are made by the Trustees at their quarterly meetings. Administration is carried out between meetings by the Secretary in accordance with guidelines agreed from time to time.
The Trust is affiliated with the Historic Churches Preservation Trust (Registered Charity Number 207402).

Policy:
The Trust has no permanent endowment and distributes the income. Apart from the reimbursement of some expenses no payments are made to Trustees.
During the year we approved provisional grants to 17 Churches totalling £34,400 of which £2,000 was on behalf of the Manifold Trust. We paid out £29,000 and a further £12,500 was paid by the Manifold Trust. A further 15 authorised grants remain to be paid totalling £28,400.

GRANT APPLICATIONS

All requests for grants must be made through our Secretary who, providing the project meets our criteria, will forward an application form for completion. A considerable amount of information is requested both in relation to the scope and specification of the project, and the profile and financial position of the parish. Applications are considered at the quarterly Trustee meetings when provisional grants are agreed, and then confirmation of the grant is subsequently given following a satisfactory visit to the church by a Trustee.
The grant reservation is normally held for a maximum period of twelve months, and payment will only be made following receipt of an architect’s interim certificate or an appropriate invoice.

Chairman's Report 2010

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Chairman’s Report

This is my third year as Chairman of the Trust. It remains a privilege to serve the historic churches, chapels and meeting houses of Worcestershire and Dudley in this role. The Trust is able to make grants to assist with a wide variety of repair works, helping to keep these buildings in their communities, both as valued places of worship and reflection, as well as important features and landmarks. There is much to be done at a time when many churches find it increasingly difficult to keep open, running and well maintained. The economic situation remains difficult and preservation of historic church buildings puts increasing pressure on ever limited financial resources and grant making bodies such as ours. However, as a trust we must continue to support places of worship as far as we are able. Our grants for the year are listed in this annual report. We have also continued to contribute financially towards the post of Historic Buildings and Communities Officer in Worcester Diocese. Our support for this valuable work, on which we are regularly updated, is helping to secure increased use and better care of church buildings. Hopefully this will result in fewer problems arising in church buildings through lack of maintenance. Prevention remains a better solution than having to find an expensive cure.

The Trust is fortunate to be served by hard working and enthusiastic trustees and officers, and it is a pleasure for me to take this opportunity to thank them all. I would particularly like to thank John Davies our Secretary and Jean Crabbe our Treasurer, who both do much to ensure we can function efficently and effectively. 2010 has also seen a number of changes for the Trust. With great regret in August we said farewell to Mike Wall as one of our longest serving trustees, who over twenty years had participated in awarding grants totalling over £660,000 to some 175 churches. However, we are delighted that Mike has agreed to become a patron of the Trust and look forward to his continued association and support. We also said goodbye to Richard Foot, who not only served as trustee but also produced the annual report for many years. The trustees would like to thank most sincerely both Mike and Richard for all they have done during their respective times as trustees. They will be much missed. However, our committee secretary Jacci Hunt has kindly agreed to take on the annual report and we are also very pleased to welcome Michael Thomas to the trustees. Michael was Director of Avoncroft Museum of Buildings until retirement in 1997, and serves also as a trustee of the Bournville Village Trust and the Landmark Trust. His experience will be most valuable. The departure of some of our long serving trustees during recent years reminds us that we must always look ahead to encourage new people to get involved and bring fresh ideas to the table.

'Ride and Stride' remains our main fundraising event, and I would like to thank John Colley and Helen Peberdy for all they do to collate and distribute paperwork and forms, organise the day in September, and process both forms and funds afterwards. Jean Colley also kindly agreed to help with this important task. We are most grateful to her, as sadly Jackie Taylor was taken ill during the year and so was unable to assist this time. We wish Jackie well with her recovery. We are always keen for more people to support the work of the Trust through 'Ride and Stride'. If cycling is not for you, then contributions on foot and horseback, amongst other interesting modes of getting around, are extremely welcome, and of course sponsoring the participants or ensuring churches are open and welcoming on the day are also vital roles in the event!

Mike Wall led his two final car tours for the Trust in 2010. Ever popular, these tours have given an opportunity to explore some of the churches in our area under expert guidance, and we are delighted that Haydn Rhodes and Jan Gill have volunteered to take on the running of these. Look out for details of the 2011 tours, which include a repeat of the very first tour of 25 years ago as a fitting tribute to Mike. The coach tour in September to some less well-known Shropshire churches whetted appetites to explore more of this beautiful county, and included a memorable coffee stop at Ashford Bowdler, where the church has been underpinned to prevent it being swept away by the River Teme. It is good to see what has been done to help churches in nearby counties, which might act as inspiration for our own work. In October Annette Leech and I led a walk around some of the historic places of worship in Redditch, where we saw several fascinating buildings with intriguing histories relating to needle manufacture and the growth of the new town. Tea was served at St George's Church which is sadly threatened with closure. Next October we look forward to a visit to Great Malvern.

We would also like to invite you to a Drinks Reception at St George's Church, Barbourne, Worcester during the Worcester Festival on Wednesday 17th August at 6.30pm, when there will be an opportunity to

meet the trustees, as well as to view some of the recent restoration work at this wonderful Arts and Crafts

church. Admission is free but donations to help with the work of the Trust will be welcome. Further details of this and all our events are posted on our website which is at present at http://worcestershirechurches.blogspot.com/ , but as it is about to be updated the site can also be accessed via a link on the National Churches Trust website at www.nationalchurchestrust.org. We are most grateful to Annette Leech for all she does to enhance and update our site. Please visit it to see information on the work of the Trust and sources of funds, as well as historic pictures of local churches and links to other useful websites.

Some four times a year I attend meetings in London of the Historic Churches Liaison Group (HCLG), which I currently chair and on which I have represented this Trust and those of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire. A change in arrangements means that Staffordshire has now joined this group to replace Gloucestershire. These meetings and the annual conference hosted by the National Churches Trust, which was in Southwell Minster, have enhanced the links between the Worcestershire and Dudley Historic Churches Trust and other county and national churches trusts during the year. 2010 saw the launch of the National Churches Trust's partnership grant scheme, and this trust has been fortunate enough to be allocated £20,000 for distribution in Worcestershire and Dudley based on agreed criteria in conjunction with some of our own grants.

Last year we received a bequest from the estate of Robert Deeley - our first legacy. The Trust is also most grateful for a generous donation from the collection taken in October at the memorial service for our first chairman, Michael Shaw. Both have considerably enhanced our ability to give grants to help the places of worship in this area. Please consider making a bequest to the Trust.

There is of course so much more we can all do to help historic churches in Worcestershire and Dudley. By becoming a Friend and encouraging others to do the same, or by making a donation to the Trust, using the form at the back of this report, you will help the Trust with its valuable work. Please support 'Ride and Stride' in September and other Trust events.

I look forward to seeing you during 2011.

Tim Bridges